Particle binders for high bulk fibers

ABSTRACT

A method of producing easily densified high bulk fibers that have adhered particulates. The fibers have hydrogen bonding or coordinate covalent bonding functionalities, and a binder is applied to the fibers to bind the particles to the fibers. The binder has a functional group that forms a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, and a functional group that forms a hydrogen bond with the fibers A substantial portion of the particles that are adhered to the fibers are adhered in particulate form by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds to the binder, and the binder is in turn adhered to the fibers by hydrogen bonds. Fibers containing particles bound by this method are easily densified.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention concerns polymeric and non-polymeric binders for fibers and the use of such binders in binding particles to fibers. The fibers are then densified by external application of pressure. In particular embodiments, the invention concerns binding superabsorbent particles to cellulosic fibers which may then be used, for example, to make absorbent fibers that are densified and incorporated into cellulosic products.

2. General Discussion of the Background 5 Superabsorbent polymers have been developed in recent years that are capable of absorbing many times their own weight of liquid. These polymers, which are also known as water insoluble hydrogels, have been used to increase the absorbency of sanitary products such as diapers and sanitary napkins. Superabsorbent polymers are often provided in the form of particulate powders, granules, or fibers that are distributed throughout absorbent cellulosic products to increase the absorbency of the product. Superabsorbent particles are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,160,059; 4,676,784; 4,673,402; 5,002,814; and 5,057,166. Products such as diapers that incorporate absorbent hydrogels are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,669,103 and 3,670,731.

One problem with the use of superabsorbents is that the superabsorbent material can be physically dislodged from the cellulosic fibers of an absorbent product. Separation of the superabsorbent from its substrate reduces the absorbency of the product and diminishes the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material. This problem was addressed in European Patent Application 442 185 A1, which discloses use of a polyaluminum chloride binder to bind an absorbent polymer to a fibrous substrate. The polyaluminum binder, however, suffers from the drawback of being an inorganic product that is not readily biodegradable. Moreover, that European patent does not offer any guidance for selecting binders other than polyaluminum chloride that would be useful in binding absorbent particles.

A method of immobilizing superabsorbents is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,571 in which a water swellable absorbent polymer is converted to a non-particulate immobilized confluent layer. Polymer particles are converted to a coated film by plasticizing them in a polyhydroxy organic compound such as glycerol, ethylene glycol, or propylene glycol. The superabsorbent assumes a non-particulate immobilized form that can be foamed onto a substrate. The individual particulate identity of the superabsorbent polymer is lost in this process. The confluent nature of the superabsorbent material can also result in gel blocking, in which absorption is diminished as the water swollen polymers block liquid passage through the film layer.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,412,036 and 4,467,012 disclose absorbent laminates in which a hydrolyzed starch polyacrylonitrile graft copolymer and glycerol mixture is laminated between two tissue layers. The tissue layers are laminated to each other by applying external heat and pressure. The reaction conditions form covalent bonds between the tissue layers that firmly adhere the tissue layers to one another.

Numerous other patents have described methods of applying binders to fibrous webs. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,757,150; 4,584,357; and 4,600,462. Such binders are not described as being useful in binding particulates, such as superabsorbent particles, to fibers. Yet other patents disclose crosslinking agents such as polycarboxylic acids that form covalent intrafiber bonds with individualized cellulose fibers, as in European Patent Application 440 472 A1; European Patent Application 427 317 A2; European Patent Application 427 316 A2; and European Patent Application 429 112 A2. The covalent intrafiber bonds are formed at elevated temperatures and increase the bulk of cellulose fibers treated with the crosslinker by forming intrafiber ester crosslinks. Crosslinking must occur under acidic conditions to prevent reversion of the ester bonds. The covalent bonds within the fibers produce a pulp sheet that is more difficult to compress to conventional pulp sheet densities than in an untreated sheet. Covalent crosslink bonds may also form between the fibers and particles, and occupy functional groups that would otherwise be available for absorption, hence absorption efficiency is decreased.

A particular disadvantage of forming covalent ester intrafiber crosslinks is that the resulting fiber product resists densification. Energy requirements for making densified absorbent products are increased because very high compression pressures must be used to densify the absorbent product. Such high pressure can also damage the fibers. Antimicrobials, zeolites and fire retardants are but a few examples of particles that are added to fibers. It would be advantageous to provide a method of attaching particles that could be accommodated to the many different particle needs of end users. Moreover, it would be advantageous to reduce particulate waste in the attachment process, and simplify shipment of fiber products that require particulate addition.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method of densifying fibers, including high bulk fibers that have intrafiber crosslinks.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved method of binding particulates, such as superabsorbent particles, to fibers.

It is another object to provide an improved method of binding particulates such that they can be distributed throughout a crosslinked fibrous product in a desired distribution and without necessarily being confined to the surface of a product.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved fiber and absorbent products in which particulates are firmly bound to cellulose fibers such that the particles are less likely dislodged by mechanical forces.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved particle binder that is environmentally compatible and more easily biodegradable.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to bind a broad variety of particles to many different kinds of fibers using an improved, simple and versatile binding process that limits particle waste.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other objects are achieved by providing fibers with hydrogen bonding functional sites, and applying to the fibers a binder that has a volatility less than water. The binder has a functional group that forms a hydrogen bond with the fibers, and a functional group that is also capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with particles that have a hydrogen bonding or coordinate covalent bonding functionality. The binder attaches the particles to the fibers, and forms a bond that has been found to be resistant to mechanical disruption.

The binder has a volatility less than water, and therefore has a sustained presence on the fibers for a prolonged period of time (for example weeks, months, or even years at ambient conditions) instead of evaporating quickly as water does. In addition, a crosslinking material is applied to the fibers, and the crosslinking material is cured at an elevated temperature with the fibers in an individualized state, to produce cured high bulk fibers that are individualized and have intrafiber covalent ester crosslinks. Although the fibers are cured, they retain hydrogen bonding sites available for hydrogen bonding. At least 0.05% by weight (more preferably at least 1%, even more preferably at least 5% or 5-40%) of the fibers, binder and particles is particles bound to the binder by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, with the binder that binds the particle in turn bound to the fibers by a hydrogen bond.

The covalent crosslinking reaction that occurs during the curing step consumes substantially all crosslinking material on the fibers. Hence a particle binder that can also function as a crosslinking material will be entirely consumed during the curing step if such a binder is present as the fibers are cured above 145° C. When such crosslinking binders are present on the fibers during the curing step, precautions are taken to partially inhibit the formation of covalent intrafiber ester bonds, for example by providing sufficient water when the curing step begins to inhibit formation of anhydride intermediates required for covalent ester bond formation. Alternatively, the binder can be applied to the fibers after curing. If the binder is not capable of crosslinking, then the binder may be applied to the fibers before the curing step (or afterwards) without taking precautions to inhibit anhydride intermediate formation.

Liquid binders (which includes neat liquids or aqueous solutions of solid binders) can be placed on the fibers, air dried, and later reactivated by moistening the fibers. Alternatively, a dry solid binder may be added to the fibers and later activated by addition of a liquid. An inactive binder can also be activated by applying kinetic energy to the fibers after the binder and fibers reach an equilibrium moisture content with the atmosphere (hereinafter referred to as "air drying"). Kinetic energy can be applied to the fibers, for example, by mechanically agitating the binder and fibers. In yet other embodiments, the binder may be activated or reactivated by heating the fibers after applying the binder to the fibers.

The capacity for activation or reactivation allows the binder to be applied to the fibers, which are then shipped to distribution points with the binder in an inactive form. The fibers with the applied binder can be stored for periods of weeks, months or years in this inactive form. The binder is then activated at the distribution point where particles are added to the fibers and bound thereto. As used herein, binder "activation" includes both activation of previously inactive binders (such as solid binders in the absence of liquid) or reactivation of previously active binders (such as a liquid binder that has been air dried).

Another advantage of the present invention is that the binder can be activated or reactivated in a pattern that corresponds to a desired distribution of particles in fibrous material. A reactivation liquid, for example, can be applied to the areas of a diaper that will be initially moistened by urine during use. Superabsorbent particles can be added to activated areas of the diaper and adhered almost exclusively in those areas where initial urine absorption is required. Targeted activation of binder allows particles to be efficiently and economically attached to the fibers, with reduced particle wastage. Moreover, targeted binder activation and particle adherence increases the absorptive efficiency of the product by diminishing excessive wicking of liquid within the plane of an absorptive product.

The fibers may have particles bound to the fibers with a polymeric or non-polymeric binder. The polymeric binder may be selected from the group consisting of polypropylene glycol (PPG), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyacrylic acid (PAA), poly(caprolactone) diol, a polyamide, a polyamine, and copolymers thereof (e.g. a polypropylene glycol/poly-ethylene glycol copolymer), wherein the polymeric binder has a hydrogen bonding functionality or coordinate covalent bond forming functionality on each repeating unit of the polymeric binder. The non-polymeric binder has a volatility less than water, a functional group that forms hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds with the particles, and a functional group that forms hydrogen bonds with the cellulose fibers. The non-polymeric binder is an organic binder, and preferably includes a functionality selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an alcohol, an amino acid, an amide, and an amine, wherein there are at least two functionalities on the molecule selected from this group, and the two functionalities are the same or different. Examples of such binders include polyols, polyamines (a non-polymeric organic binder with more than one amine group), polyamides (a non-polymeric organic binder with more than one amide group), polycarboxylic acids (a non-polymeric organic binder with more than one carboxylic acid functionality), amino alcohols, hydroxy acids and other binders. These binders have functional groups that are capable of forming the specified bonds with the particles and fibers.

More preferably, the organic non-polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, ascorbic acid, urea, glycine, pentaerythritol, a monosaccharide or a disaccharide, citric acid, tartaric acid, dipropylene glycol, and urea derivatives such as DMDHEU. Suitable saccharides include glucose, sucrose, lactose, ribose, fructose, mannose, arabinose, and erythrose. Each of these preferred binders is a non-polymeric molecule that has a plurality of hydrogen bonding functionalities that permit the binder to form hydrogen bonds to both the fibers and particles. Particularly preferred binders include those that can form five or six membered rings, most preferably six membered rings, with a functional group on the surface of the particle.

The fibrous material may be cellulosic or synthetic fibers that are capable of forming hydrogen bonds with the binder, while the particles are selected to be of the type that form hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds with the binder. It has unexpectedly been found that this binder system secures particles to fibers exceptionally well. A superior fibrous product is therefore produced that has improved absorbent properties as compared to unbound or covalently bound particles. Formation of the noncovalent bond allows production of a fiber product that is easily manufactured and a web that is easily densified, and that is readily biodegradable and disposable.

In one preferred embodiment, an absorbent product comprises a fibrous cellulosic mat that contains superabsorbent hydrogel particles in particulate form. The superabsorbent particles form hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds with the binder, depending upon the binder, while the binder in turn forms hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups of the cellulose fibers. These noncovalent, relatively flexible bonds between the binder and particles maintain the particles in contact with the fibers, and resist dislodgement of the particles by mechanical forces applied to the mat during manufacture, storage or use. The binder may suitably be present in an amount of from about 3 to 80 percent of the total weight of the product, while the particles bound by the binder of the present invention (via hydrogen/coordinate covalent bonds) may suitably be present in an amount of 0.05 to 80 percent, preferably 1 to 80 percent or 5 to 80 percent, or more than 5 percent by weight. An especially suitable range of binder is 3 to 40 percent by weight, or 3 to 25 percent by weight, while a particularly suitable range of particles is 5 to 40 percent by weight. A preferred weight ratio of particle to binder is 2:1 to 4:1. An example of a suitable particle is a superabsorbent polymer such as a starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fine or larger size particle such as a granule, which forms hydrogen bonds with the binder. The binder also forms hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups of the cellulose, thereby securely attaching the superabsorbent particles to the fibers.

The present invention also includes a method of binding particles to fibers wherein the particles are insoluble in the binder and therefore retain their solid particulate form following binding. The particles have functional groups that can form hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds with the binder, and the binder in turn is capable of forming hydrogen bonds to the fibers.

In especially preferred embodiments, the fibers are cellulosic and the particles are superabsorbent particles that are bound to the binder by hydrogen bonds. The fibers may also be continuous or discontinuous synthetic or natural fibers having a hydrogen bonding functional group that hydrogen bonds with the binder. The binder is suitably applied to the fibers in an amount of at least 3 percent, and preferably no more than 80 percent, by total weight of the particle, fiber and binder. The particles may be bound to the fibers at less than 150° C. or without any external application of heat at ambient temperature (e.g., about 25° C.). Particles may also be bound in the absence of any external application of pressure, or in the absence of external heat and pressure.

In some embodiments the binder is associated with the fibers as a solid (for example, a dry powder or a dried liquid), and the fibers contain at least 7 percent water by weight when the binding step is performed. This level of moisture in the fibers provides sufficient mobility of reactants to allow the particles and fibers to bind well to each other. When a liquid binder is used (for example, glycerin or a solution of glycine powder), the fibers suitably contain at least about 0.5 percent water by weight. A solid binder is suitably used with fibers having 0.5 percent water by weight if the binder is heated above its melting point to liquefy it. A solid binder may be thermoplastic or meltable, such that it can be heated above its melting point and then cooled to fuse fibers to each other. The thermoplastic properties of the binder can also provide additional mechanical adherence between the particles and fibers. In some embodiments, a thermoplastic binder such as urea may be employed which can adhere particles both thermoplastically and with hydrogen bonding.

The invention also includes the products produced by any of the methods described herein. These products, before use, have particles bound by the hydrogen bonds/coordinate covalent bonds described above.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of the components of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a structure into which fibers of the present invention are incorporated with attached particles, the fibers being in the form of an illustrated absorbent pad.

FIG. 3 represents a partial sectional view of the pad of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a plan view of a bandage incorporating fibers of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the bandage of FIG. 4, taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an absorbent structure of fibers of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of FIG. 6, taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a feminine hygiene appliance incorporating fibers of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the appliance of FIG. 8 taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a disposable diaper including a core of fibers of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view along line 11--11 of the diaper of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a view of an enlarged fiber with particles bonded to the fiber with the binders of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a cellulose mat with particles bound to all its surfaces and throughout its depth.

FIG. 14 is a photomicrograph of particles adhered to fibers with an ascorbic acid binder.

FIGS. 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D are photomicrographs of particles bound to fibers with lactose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Fiber Characteristics

The present invention includes a method of binding particles to fibers, and the product produced by that method. In particularly preferred embodiments, the product is a cellulosic or synthetic fiber to which superabsorbent hydrogel polymer particles are adhered by a binder, and absorbent products made therefrom. Suitable fibers include wood pulp fibers, which can be obtained from well known chemical processes such as the kraft and sulfite processes. In these processes, the best starting material is prepared from long fiber coniferous wood species, such as pine, douglas fir, spruce and hemlock. Wood pulp fibers can also be obtained from mechanical processes, such as ground wood, mechanical, thermomechanical, chemimechanical, and chemithermomechanical pulp processes. The fibers are preferably elongated, for example having a length to width ratio of about 10:1 to 5:1.

The fibers of the present invention also include fibers that are pretreated prior to the application of a binder to the fibers as explained below. This pretreatment may include physical treatment, such as subjecting the fibers to steam or chemical treatment, such as cross-linking the fibers. Although not to be construed as a limitation, examples of pretreating fibers include the application of fire retardants to the fibers, such as by spraying the fibers with fire retardant chemicals. Specific fire retardant chemicals include, by way of example, sodium borate/boric acid, urea, urea/phosphates, etc. In addition, the fibers may be pretreated with surfactants or other liquids, such as water or solvents, which modify the surface of the fibers. Other pretreatments include exposure to antimicrobials or pigments.

The fibers may also be pretreated in a way which increases their wettability. For example, natural fibers may be pretreated with a liquid sodium silicate, as by spraying the fibers with this material, for pretreatment purposes. Wettability of the surface of fibers is also improved by subjecting the fibers to a corona discharge pretreatment in which electrical current is discharged through the fibers in a conventional manner. In the case of both synthetic fibers and wood pulp fibers, corona discharge pretreatment results in an oxygen functionality on the surface of the fibers, making them more wettable and more bondable. The fibers may also be pretreated with conventional cross-linking materials and may be twisted or crimped, as desired. Pretreating cellulose fibers with chemicals which result in lignin or cellulose rich fiber surfaces may also be performed in a conventional manner.

A bleaching process, such as chlorine or ozone/oxygen bleaching may be used in pretreating the fibers. In addition, the fibers may be pretreated, as by slurrying the fibers in baths containing antimicrobial solutions (such as solutions of antimicrobial particles as set forth below), fertilizers and pesticides, and/or fragrances and flavors, for release over time during the life of the fibers. Fibers pretreated with other chemicals, such as thermoplastic and thermoset resins may also be used. Combinations of pretreatments may also be employed with the resulting pretreated fibers then being subjected to the application of the binder coating as explained below.

Ground wood fibers, recycled or secondary wood pulp fibers, and bleached and unbleached wood pulp fibers can be used. Details of the production of wood pulp fibers are well known to those skilled in the art. These fibers are commercially available from a number of companies, including Weyerhaeuser Company, the assignee of the present invention.

The fibers can also be any of a variety of other natural or synthetic fibers, however, all of the fibers to which particles are attached in accordance with the present invention include a hydrogen bonding functionality. This does not preclude the blending of such fibers with fibers lacking this characteristic. However, the fibers lacking a hydrogen bonding functionality will not have particles bonded thereto with the strength of the bonds that would be present if the fibers had a hydrogen bonding functionality.

A hydrogen bond is an intermolecular force that occurs between hydrogen atoms that are covalently bonded to small, strongly electronegative elements (such as nitrogen and oxygen) and nonbonding electron pairs on other such electronegative elements. A hydrogen bonding functionality is a functional group that contains an oxygen or nitrogen atom, for example hydroxyls, carboxyls, ethers, esters, epoxides, carbonyls, amines, urethanes and others, that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond. The orbitals of the nonbonding electron pairs on the oxygen or nitrogen overlap with the relatively empty 1s orbital of the hydrogen covalently bonded to another nitrogen or oxygen atom. The 1s orbital of the hydrogen is relatively empty due to the unequal sharing of the electrons in the covalent bond between it and the small electronegative atom (oxygen or nitrogen) to which it is bound.

Specific examples of natural fibers that contain a hydrogen bonding functionality include chopped silk fibers, wood pulp fibers, bagasse, hemp, jute, rice, wheat, bamboo, corn, sisal, cotton, flax, kenaf, peat moss, and mixtures thereof. Suitable synthetic fibers with hydrogen bonding functionalities include acrylic, polyester, carboxylated polyolefins, rayon and nylon. The hydrogen bonding functionality is an ester in acrylic fibers and a carboxylic acid in carboxylated polyolefin fibers, an ester in polyester, an amide in nylon, and a hydroxyl in rayon. Polyethylene and polypropylene would be unsuitable fibers for use in particle to fiber bonding in accordance with the present invention because they include only carbons and hydrogens without any oxygens or nitrogens that can participate in hydrogen bonds.

For purposes of convenience, and not to be construed as a limitation, the following description proceeds with reference to the treatment of individual chemical wood pulp fibers. The fibers are individualized, for example by defiberization in a hammermill. Such individualized fibers are conventionally formed into a mat, and are commercially available, for example as NB 416 from the Weyerhaeuser Company. Another suitable cellulosic mat would include Rayfloc JLD from ITT Rayonier. The cellulose fibers may be in the form of a cellulosic web or loose cellulose fibers.

Particle Characteristics

In accordance with the present invention, particles are added to the mat to give it desired properties, such as increased absorbency, abrasiveness, or antimicrobial activity. The particle can be any particulate material that has the desired property and which is capable of forming hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds with the binder. Hydrogen bonds can be formed, as discussed above, by particles that contain functional groups having an oxygen or nitrogen. Coordinate covalent bonds, in contrast, are formed by donation of a lone pair of electrons on one atom to an empty orbital of another atom. Coordinate covalent bonds differ from covalent bonds in that covalent bonds are formed by a pair of electrons wherein one of the electrons is donated from each of the atoms that participate in the bond. Particles can form coordinate covalent bonds if they have an empty p or d or f orbital that is capable of accepting a pair of electrons from the binder.

A coordinate covalent bond occurs between a donor compound that has a lone pair of electrons to donate to the bond, and an acceptor that has an empty orbital to accept the lone pair of electrons from the donor. According to the Aufbau and Pauli principles, electrons occupy the lobes of atomic orbitals one at a time with a maximum of two electrons (with opposite spins) per lobe. The most basic orbital is the s orbital, which is available for bonding the elements in the first row of the periodic table. In the second row of the periodic table, electrons fill first the 2s orbital of Li and Be, but metals in Groups IA and IIA do not have sufficient affinity for electrons to participate in coordinate covalent bonding. Beginning with column IIIA (boron), the three p orbitals participate in coordinate covalent bonding and the lobes of the p orbitals begin to fill. Boron has one electron in one of the 2p orbitals thus leaving the other two p orbitals empty and available for coordinate covalent bonding. An example of a coordinate covalently bonded boron containing particle is boric acid, which is used as an astringent, antiseptic and fire retardant. Boric acid is shown below wherein the boron is coordinate covalently bonded to a polypropylene glycol (PPG) binder. ##STR1## The next element, carbon, usually hybridizes to have one electron in the 2s orbital and the three remaining electrons are singly placed in the three p orbitals. This leaves no lobes empty for coordinate covalent bonding and electron additions proceeding further across that row of the periodic table also leave no lobes empty. Hence, boron is the only element in the second row of the periodic table that is capable of forming coordinate covalent bonds.

Next the third row begins to fill, and the two 3s electrons fill first in sodium and magnesium, but these metals in groups IA and IIA do not form coordinate covalent bonds as discussed above. Then aluminum, like boron, places one electron in one of the 3p lobes, and the two other 3p lobes are empty and available for coordinate covalent bonding. The same trends continue across the third row, but the third row elements also have available five 3d lobes so the potential for coordination bonding exists even though 3p orbitals are occupied in the third row. Hence, Al, P, S, and Cl are capable of accepting a pair of electrons from an electron pair donor to form a coordinate covalent bond. An example of this is found in the bonding in PCl₅, aluminum trihydrate, or phosphorous pentasulfide. A phosphorous pentasulfide particle can be used to increase flammability of a product, while aluminum trihydrate is a fire retardant. An example of a coordinate covalently bonded aluminum compound is ##STR2## wherein aluminum trihydrate is coordinate covalently bonded to a polypropylene glycol (PPG) polymer.

In the next row, the 4s orbital is filled first, then the 3d lobes begin to fill--one electron per lobe until all have a single then a second electron to each lobe until all lobes are filled. However, 4p and 4f orbitals are also available, hence many of the transition elements are capable of forming coordinate covalent bonds.

The elements that have empty orbitals that participate in coordinate covalent bonding include all those except the metals (which excludes hydrogen) in groups IA and IIA, and C, N, O, F, Ne and He. Especially preferred particles contain boron, aluminum, iron, rhodium, osmium, platinum, and palladium, particularly boron. Examples of particles in accordance with the present invention that are capable of coordinate covalent bonding are aluminum trihydrate, antimony oxide, arsenic disulfide, bismuth aluminate, bismuth iodide oxide, bismuth phosphate, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth subgallate, cadmium salycilate, chromic carbonate, chromic hydroxide, chromic oxide, and chromic phosphate. All of the polymeric binders of the present invention (PPG, PAA, poly(caprolactone) diol, polyamide and polyamine) are capable of donating a lone pair of electrons from an oxygen or nitrogen to form a coordinate covalent bond with a suitable particle that has an empty orbital for coordinate covalent bonding.

Superabsorbent Particles

In one disclosed embodiment the added particles are superabsorbent particles, which comprise polymers that swell on exposure to water and form a hydrated gel (hydrogel) by absorbing large amounts of water. Superabsorbents are defined herein as materials that exhibit the ability to absorb large quantities of liquid, i.e. in excess of 10 to 15 parts of liquid per part thereof. These superabsorbent materials generally fall into three classes, namely starch graft copolymers, crosslinked carboxymethylcellulose derivatives and modified hydrophilic polyacrylates. Examples of such absorbent polymers are hydrolyzed starch-acrylonitrile graft copolymer, a neutralized starch-acrylic acid graft copolymer, a saponified acrylic acid ester-vinyl acetate copolymer, a hydrolyzed acrylonitrile copolymer or acrylamide copolymer, a modified cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol, a neutralized self-crosslinking polyacrylic acid, a crosslinked polyacrylate salt, carboxylated cellulose, and a neutralized crosslinked isobutylene-maleic anhydride copolymer.

Superabsorbent particles are available commercially, for example starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F) from Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va., or larger particles such as granules. Other superabsorbent particles are marketed under the trademarks SANWET (supplied by Sanyo Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha), SUMIKA GEL (supplied by Sumitomo Kagaku Kabushiki Kaisha and which is emulsion polymerized and spherical as opposed to solution polymerized ground particles), FAVOR (supplied by Stockhausen of Greensboro, N.C.), and NORSOCRYL (supplied by Atochem). The superabsorbent particles come in a variety of sizes and morphologies, for example IM 1000 and IM 1000F. The 1000F is finer and will pass through a 200 mesh screen whereas IM 1000 has particles that will not pass through a 60 mesh screen. Another type of superabsorbent particle is IM 5600 (agglomerated fines). Superabsorbent particulate hydrophilic polymers are also described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,340, which is incorporated herein by reference. That incorporated patent discloses hydrocolloid absorbent materials such as cross-linked polyacrylamides.

Other Particles

Many particles that form hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds are suitable for use with the present invention. Some such particles are listed in Table 1 with an indication of the function of the listed particles.

                  TABLE I                                                          ______________________________________                                         Particulates For Binding                                                       Name            Function                                                       ______________________________________                                         Aluminum Trihydrate                                                                            Fire retardant, astringent                                     Acediasulfone   Antibacterial                                                  Agaricic acid   Antiperspirant                                                 Alclometastone  Topical anti-inflammatory                                      Calcium alginate                                                                               Topical hemostatic                                             Amidomycin      Fungicide                                                      Antimony oxide  Fire retardant                                                 Apigenin        Yellow dye, mordant                                            Arsenic disulfide                                                                              Red Pigment                                                    Aspirin         Anti-inflammatory; antipyretic                                 Azanidazole     Antiprotozoal (Trichomonas)                                    Azelaic acid    Antiacne                                                       Baicalein       Astringent                                                     Bendazac        Anti-inflammatory                                              Benomyl         Fungicide; ascaricide                                          Benzestrol      Estrogen                                                       Benzylpenicillinic acid                                                                        Antibacterial                                                  Benzylsulfamide Antibacterial                                                  Bergaptene      Antipsoriatic                                                  Betasine        Iodine source                                                  Bezitramide     Narcotic analgesic                                             Bibrocathol     Topical antiseptic                                             Bietanautine    Antihistaminic                                                 Bifenox         Herbicide                                                      Bifonazole      Antifungal                                                     Binapacryl      Fungicide, miticide                                            Bis(p-chlorophenoxy)                                                           methane         Miticide                                                       Bismuth aluminate                                                                              Antacid                                                        Bismuth iodide oxide                                                                           Anti-infective                                                 Bismuth phosphate                                                                              Antacid; protectant                                            Bismuth subcarbonate                                                                           Topical protectant                                             Bismuth subgallate                                                                             Astringent, antacid; protectant                                Bisphenol A     Fungicide                                                      Bitertanol      Agricultural fungicide                                         Bithionol       Topical anti-infective                                         Bromacil        Herbicide                                                      Bromadiolone    Rodenticide                                                    Bromcresol green                                                                               Indicator                                                      Bromcresol purple                                                                              Indicator                                                      Bromethalin     Rodenticide                                                    p-Bromoacetanilide                                                                             Analgesic; antipyretic                                         3-Bromo-d-camphor                                                                              Topical counterirritant                                        Bromophos       Insecticide                                                    Bromopropylate  Acaricide                                                      5-Bromosalicyl- antibacterial (tuberculostatic)                                hydroxamic acid                                                                5-Bromosalycilic acid                                                                          Analgesic                                                      acetate                                                                        Bromosaligenin  Anti-inflammatory                                              Bromthymol blue Indicator                                                      Broxyquinoline  Antiseptic; disinfectant                                       Bucetin         Analgesic                                                      Bumadizon       Analgesic; anti-inflammatory;                                                  antipyretic                                                    Bupirimate      Fungicide                                                      Busulfan        Carcinogen, insect sterilant,                                                  antineoplastic                                                 Butamben        Topical anesthetic                                             Butrylin        Insecticide                                                    Butylated hydroxy-                                                                             Antioxidant (BHA)                                              anisole                                                                        Butyl paraben   Pharmaceutic aid; food                                                         preservative                                                   4-tert-Butylphenyl                                                                             Light absorber                                                 salicylate                                                                     Cacotheline     Indicator                                                      Cactinomycin    Antineoplastic                                                 Cadmium salycilate                                                                             Antiseptic                                                     Calamine        Skin protectant                                                Calcium carbonate                                                                              Antacid                                                        Calcium saccharate                                                                             Pharmaceutic aid                                               Calcium tartrate                                                                               Preservative; deodorant; antacid                               Cambendazole    Anthelminthic                                                  Candicidin      Topical antifungal                                             Candidin        Topical antifungal                                             Capsaicin       Topical analgesic                                              Captan          Fungicide; bacteriostat                                        Carbadox        Antimicrobial                                                  Carbamazepine   Anticonvulsant; analgesic                                      Carbarsone      Antiamebic                                                     Carbaryl        Contact insecticide                                            Carbazochrome   Antihemorrhagic                                                salycilate                                                                     Carbendazim     Fungicide                                                      Carbochloral    Hypnotic                                                       Carbophenothion Miticide; insecticide                                          Carboquone      Antineoplastic                                                 Carisoprodol    Skeletal muscle relaxant                                       Carthamin       Dye                                                            Carvacrol       Disinfectant                                                   Cephalin        Local hemostatic                                               Chalcomycin     Antibiotic                                                     Chartreusin     Antibiotic                                                     Chitin          Vulnerary                                                      Chloramben      Herbicide                                                      Chloramphenacol Antimicrobial                                                  palmitate                                                                      Chloranil       Fungicide                                                      Chlorbetamide   Antiamebic                                                     Chlordimeform   Insecticide                                                    Chlorfenac      Herbicide                                                      Chlorfenethol   Acaricide                                                      Chlorhexidine   Topical antibacterial                                          Chloroazodin    Antibacterial; topical                                                         anesthetic                                                     Chlorophacinone Anticoagulant rodenticide                                      p-Chlorophenol  Antiseptic                                                     Chlorothricin   Antibiotic                                                     Chlorotrianisene                                                                               Estrogen                                                       Chloroxylenol   Antiseptic; germicide                                          Chlorphenesin   Topical antifungal                                             Chlorphenesin carbamate                                                                        Relaxant (skeletal muscle)                                     Chlorphenoxamide                                                                               Antiamebic                                                     Chlorpropamide  Antidiabetic                                                   Chlorpyrifos    Insecticide                                                    Chlorquinaldol  Topical antibacterial                                          Chlorsulfuron   Herbicide                                                      Chlorothion     Insecticide                                                    Chlozoxazone    Relaxant                                                       Cholesterol     Pharmaceutic aid                                               Chromic carbonate                                                                              Pigment                                                        Chromic hydroxide                                                                              Pigment                                                        Chromic oxide   Abrasive                                                       Chromic phosphate                                                                              Green pigment                                                  Chrysamminic acid                                                                              Explosive                                                      Chrysarobin     Antipsoriatic                                                  Cilastazol      Antithrombotic                                                 Cinoxate        Sunscreen agent                                                ______________________________________                                    

Other suitable particles include proteins, vitamins, zeolites and silica, which contain oxygen or nitrogen groups, or both. An example of a suitable zeolite is Abscents odor absorber available from UOP of Tarrytown, N.Y. An example of a suitable antimicrobial particle is chlorhexidine (N,N"-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-3,12-diimino-2,4,11,13-tetraazetetradecanediimidamide). The list in Table I is by no means exhaustive as it can be readily determined for each type of particle whether it is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond. Many of the particles are non-absorbent, or not superabsorbent polymers.

The particles listed in Table 1 have chemical properties that make them suitable for binding to fibers with the binders of the present invention. The listed particles are organic or inorganic compounds that have little or no water solubility, yet have the capacity to hydrogen bond. Water solubility is preferably low, for example, less than 10 g dissolves completely in 300 ml of water at 25° C, more preferably less than about 1 g in 300 ml at 25° C. This low solubility allows the particles to remain solid, and the hydrogen bonding capacity allows them to adhere to the fibers. Once bound, the particles substantially retain a discrete particulate form instead of dissolving or fusing. More of the particles are discrete than fused once bound.

The amount of binder added to the fibers can vary widely, for example from 0.05 to 80 percent of the total weight of the fibrous material, binders and particles. Antimicrobials such as chlorhexidine are effective in very low amounts, such as 0.05 percent. Superabsorbent particles are preferably added in an amount of 3-40 percent, especially 15-25 percent by weight.

Polymeric Binder Characteristics

The particles may be bound to the fibers by a water soluble polymeric binder selected from a predetermined group of polymeric binders that each have a hydrogen bonding functionality or coordinate covalent bond forming functionality on each repeating unit of the polymer. The predetermined groups of polymeric binders includes the set of binders consisting of polypropylene glycol (PPG); a PPG/PEG copolymer; polyacrylic acid; poly(caprolactone) diol, a polyamide such as polyglycine or another polypeptide; or a polyamine such as polyethyleneimine or polyvinyl pyridine. As used herein, a polymer is a macromolecule formed by chemical union of 5 or more identical combining units (monomers). A polyamine is a polymer that contains amine functional groups and a polyamide is a polymer that contains amide functional groups. Each of the binders has a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality on each repeating unit (monomer) of the polymer. This repeating functionality may be a hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, amide, ether or amine. These binders are capable of forming hydrogen bonds because they have a functional group that contains an oxygen or a nitrogen.

The polyglycol has repeating ether units with hydroxyl groups at the terminal ends of the molecule, and polyacrylic acid has a repeating carboxyl group in which a hydrogen is bound to an electronegative oxygen, creating a dipole that leaves the hydrogen partially positively charged. The polyamide (such as a polypeptide) or polyamine has a repeating NR group in which a hydrogen may be bound to an electronegative nitrogen that also leaves the hydrogen partially positively charged. The hydrogen in both cases can then interact with an oxygen or nitrogen on the particle or fiber to form a hydrogen bond that adheres the binder to the particle and fiber. The electronegative oxygen or nitrogen of the binder can also form a hydrogen bond with hydrogens on the particle or fiber that have positive dipoles induced by oxygens or nitrogens to which the hydrogen is attached. The polyamide also has a carboxyl group with an electronegative oxygen that can interact with hydrogen atoms in the particles or fibers.

Thus, the polymeric binders enhance the hydrogen bonding (a) between the fibers and binder; and (b) in the case of particles with hydrogen bonding functionalities, between the binder and the particles.

Alternatively, the polymeric binder may form a coordinate covalent bond with the particles and a hydrogen bond to the fibers. For example, the oxygen or nitrogen on the binder has an unbound pair of electrons that can be donated to an empty orbital in the particle to form a coordinate covalent bond. For example, one free pair of electrons on the oxygen or nitrogen can be donated to the empty p orbital of a boron containing particle to form a coordinate covalent bond that adheres the particle to the binder. The fibers themselves contain functional groups that can form hydrogen bonds with the binder, and allow the binder to adhere to the fiber. Cellulosic and synthetic fibers, for example, contain hydroxyl, carboxyl, amide, ether and ester groups that will hydrogen bond with the hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, amide or amine groups of the binder. Hence the polymeric binder will adhere the particle with a coordinate covalent bond and the fiber will adhere with a hydrogen bond.

In some preferred embodiments, the polymeric binder is bound to both the fibers and the particle by hydrogen bonds. A polypropylene glycol binder, for example, can be used to bind polyacryulate hydrogel particles to cellulosic fibers. The hydroxyl and ether groups on the glycol binder participate in hydrogen bonding interactions with the hydroxyl groups on the cellulose fibers and the carboxyl groups on the polyacrylate hydrogel, as shown below: ##STR3## Hence the binder will adhere both the particle and fiber with hydrogen bonds. The presence of a hydrogen bonding functionality on each repeating unit of the polymeric binder has been found to increase the number of hydrogen bonding interactions per unit mass of polymer, which provides superior binding efficiency and diminishes separation of particles from the fibers. The repeating ether functionality on the glycol binder provides this efficiency in the example diagrammed above. A repeating carboxyl group is the repeating functionality on polyacrylic acid, while repeating carbonyls and NR groups (wherein R is either an H or alkyl, preferably lower alkyl i.e. less than five carbon atoms where the alkyls are normal or iso) of the amide linkages are the repeating functionalities on polyamides such as polypeptides. A repeating amine group is present on polyamines.

The polymeric organic binders of the present invention have been found to increase in binding efficiency as the length of the polymer increases, at least within the ranges of molecular weights that are reported in the examples below. This increase in binding efficiency is attributable to the increased number of hydrogen bonding or coordinate covalent bonding groups on the polymer with increasing molecular length. Each of the polymeric binders has a hydrogen bonding or coordinate covalent bonding functionality on each repeating unit of the polymer, hence longer polymers provide more hydrogen bonding groups or coordinate covalent bonding groups that can participate in hydrogen bonding interactions or coordinate covalent bonds.

Although the invention is not limited to polymeric binders of particular molecular weights, polymeric binders having a molecular weight greater than 500 grams/mole are preferred because they provide attractive physical properties, and the solid is less volatile and more thermoplastic as compared to small polymeric binders. Polymeric binders with molecular weights greater than 4000 grams/mole are especially preferred, because they have minimal volatility and are less likely to evaporate from the fibers. In some particular embodiments, polymers with molecular weights between 4000 and 8000 grams/mole have been used. Polymers with molecular weights above 8000 may be used, but exceedingly high molecular weight polymers may decrease binding efficiency because of processing difficulties.

Certain polymeric binders have greater binding efficiency because their repeating functionality is a more efficient hydrogen bonding group. It has been found that repeating amide groups are more efficient than repeating carboxyl functionalities, which are more efficient than repeating hydroxyl functionalities, which in turn are more efficient than amine or ether functionalities. Hence, polymeric binders may be preferred that have repeating amine or ether functionalities, more preferably repeating hydroxyl functionalities, and even more preferably repeating carbonyl or carboxyl functionalities, and most preferably repeating amide functionalities. Binding may occur at any pH, but is suitably performed at a neutral pH of 5-8, preferably 6-8, to diminish acid hydrolysis of the resulting fibrous product. Suitable binders may be selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol; polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, including copolymers thereof; polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol and polyacrylic acid; polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyacrylic acid, and a polyamide; polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyacrylic acid, a polyamide and a polyamine; polypropylene glycol alone; polypropylene glycol and polyacrylic acid; polypropylene glycol alone; polypropylene glycol, polyacrylic acid and a polyamide; and polypropylene glycol, polyacrylic acid, a polyamide and a polyamine; polyacrylic acid alone; polyacrylic acid and a polyamide; polyacrylic acid, a polyamide and a polyamine; a polyamide alone; a polyamide and a polyamine; or a polyamine alone. Each group can optionally include poly(caprolactone) diol.

The group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyamide and polyamine has been found to have a especially good binding efficiency. Among polyamides, polypeptides are especially preferred.

Non-Polymeric Binder Characteristics

The particles may be bound to the fibers by a non-polymeric organic binder selected from a predetermined group of binders that each have a volatility less than water. The vapor pressure of the binder may, for example, be less than 10 mm Hg at 25° C., and more preferably less than 1 mm Hg at 25° C. The non-polymeric binder has a functional group that forms hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds with the particles. In accordance with the present invention, the predetermined group of non-polymeric binders may include a functionality such as an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, an amino acid, an amide, or an amine, wherein each binder includes at least two such functionalities, and the two functionalities are the same or different. A requirement for the non-polymeric binder is that it have a plurality of functional groups that are capable of hydrogen bonding, or at least one group that can hydrogen bond and at least one group that can form coordinate covalent bonds. As used herein, the term "non-polymeric" refers to a monomer, dimer, trimer, tetramer, and oligomers, although some particular non-polymeric binders are monomeric and dimeric, preferably monomeric.

Particularly preferred non-polymeric organic binders are capable of forming five or six membered rings with a functional group on the surface of the particle. An example of such a binder is an amine or amino acid (for example, a primary amine or an amino acid such as glycine) which forms six membered rings by forming hydrogen bonds: ##STR4## or

A six membered ring is also formed by the hydroxyl groups of carboxylic acids, alcohols, and amino acids. ##STR5##

A five membered ring can be formed by the binder and the functionality on the surface of the particle, for example ##STR6## wherein the particle is SAP and the binder is an alcohol, such as a polyol with hydroxyl groups on adjacent carbons, for example 2,3-butanediol.

Other alcohols that do not form a five membered ring can also be used, for example alcohols that do not have hydroxyl groups on adjacent carbons. Examples of suitable alcohols include primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols.

Amino alcohol binders are alcohols that contain an amino group (--NR₂), and include binders such as ethanolamine (2-aminoethanol), diglycolamine (2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol)). Non-polymeric polycarboxylic acids contain more than one carboxylic acid functional group, and include such binders as citric acid, propane tricarboxylic acid, maleic acid, butanetetracarboxylic acid, cyclopentanetetracarboxylic acid, benzene tetracarboxylic acid and tartaric acid. A polyol is an alcohol that contains a plurality of hydroxyl groups, and includes diols such as the glycols (dihydric alcohols) ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and trimethylene glycol; triols such as glycerin (1,2,3-propanetriol); and polyhydroxy or polycarboxylic acid compounds such as tartaric acid or ascorbic acid (vitamin C): ##STR7## Hydroxy acid binders are acids that contain a hydroxyl group, and include hydroxyacetic acid (CH₂ OHCOOH) and lactic, tartaric, ascorbic, citric, and salicylic acid. Amino acid binders include any amino acid, such as glycine, alanine, valine, serine, threonine, cysteine, glutamic acid, lysine, or β alanine. Non-polymeric polyamide binders are small molecules (for example, monomers or dimers) that have more than one amide group, such as oxamide, urea and biuret. Similarly, a non-polymeric polyamine binder is a non-polymeric molecule that has more than one amino group, such as ethylene diamine, EDTA or the amino acids asparagine and glutamine.

Each of the non-polymeric binders disclosed above is capable of forming hydrogen bonds because it has a functional group that contains an oxygen or nitrogen, or has oxygen or nitrogen containing groups that include a hydrogen. The amino alcohol, amino acid, carboxylic acid, alcohol and hydroxy acid all have a hydroxyl group in which a hydrogen is bound to an electronegative oxygen, creating a dipole that leaves the hydrogen partially positively charged. The amino alcohol, amino acid, amide and amine all have an NR group in which a hydrogen may be bound to an electronegative nitrogen that also leaves the hydrogen partially positively charged. The partially positively charged hydrogen in both cases then can interact with an oxygen or nitrogen on the particle or fiber that adheres the binder to the particle and fiber. The polycarboxylic acid, hydroxy acid, amino acid and amide also have a carboxyl group with an electronegative oxygen that can interact with hydrogen atoms in the particles and fibers. Similarly, electronegative atoms (such as oxygen or nitrogen) on the fiber or particle can interact with hydrogen atoms on the binder that have positive dipoles, and partially positive hydrogen atoms on the fiber or particle can interact with electronegative atoms on the binder.

Several hydrogen bonding interactions of two of the binders (glycine and 1,3-propanediol) with cellulose are shown below: ##STR8##

The hydrogen bonding interactions are shown as dotted lines. One such interaction is shown between the nitrogen of glycine and a hydrogen of an OH on cellulose. A hydrogen bond with glycine is also shown between an oxygen of the OH on glycine and the hydroxy hydrogen of an alcohol sidechain on cellulose. Hydrogen bonding interactions of the 1,3-propanediol are shown in dotted lines between an oxygen on an OH group of the binder and a hydrogen of an OH group on the cellulose molecule. Another hydrogen bond is also shown between a hydrogen on an OH group of the glycol binder and an oxygen in an alcohol sidechain of the cellulose.

Alternatively, the oxygen or nitrogen on the binder has an unbound pair of electrons that can be donated to an empty orbital in the particle to form a coordinate covalent bond. The free pair of electrons on the oxygen or nitrogen can be donated to the empty p, d or f orbital of a particle (for example a boron containing particle) to form a coordinate covalent bond that adheres the particle to the binder. The fibers themselves do not normally contain functional groups that can form coordinate covalent bonds with the binders, but hydrogen bonding interactions allow the binder to adhere to the fiber. Cellulosic and synthetic fibers, for example, contain hydroxyl, carboxyl and ester groups that will hydrogen bond with the hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, amide or amine groups of the binder. Non-cellulosic or non-synthetic fibers that have these functionalities can also be used, for example silk, which has an amide linkage. Hence the binder will adhere the particle with a coordinate covalent bond and the fiber with a hydrogen bond.

In some preferred embodiments, the binder is bound to both the fibers and the particle by hydrogen bonds. A polyol binder, for example, can be used to bind polyacrylate hydrogel particles to cellulosic fibers. The hydroxyl groups on the polyol binder participate in hydrogen bonding interactions with the hydroxyl groups on the cellulose fibers and the carboxyl groups on the polyacrylate hydrogel. Hence the binder will adhere both the particle and fiber with hydrogen bonds. These hydrogen bonds provide excellent binding efficiency and diminish separation of bound particles from the fibers.

A structural drawing is shown below in which citric acid, vitamin C and urea adhere polyacrylate particles to cellulose with hydrogen bonds. Some of the possible hydrogen bonding interactions are shown as dashed lines. ##STR9##

Particularly efficient hydrogen bonding binders include those with carboxyl groups, such as ascorbic acid, or amide groups, such as urea. Hydroxyl groups are also very efficient binders. Amine and ether functionalities are less efficient binders.

Binders have functional groups that may be selected independently or in combination from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an alcohol, an amide and an amine, wherein the binder has at least two of these functional groups, and each of the functional groups can be the same (for example, a polyol, polycarboxylic and polyamine or polyamide) or different (for example, an amino alcohol, hydroxyamide, carboxyamide, or amino acid). Functional groups may also be selected independently or in combination from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid alone; a carboxylic acid and an alcohol; a carboxylic acid, an alcohol and an amide; a carboxylic acid, an alcohol, an amide and an amine; an alcohol alone; an alcohol and an amide; an alcohol, an amide and an amine; an amide alone; an amide and an amine; and an amine alone.

Preferred functional groups for the non-polymeric binders may be selected independently or in combination from the group consisting of an amino alcohol, a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol, a hydroxy acid, an amino acid, an amide, and a polyamine. Other preferred groups of binders include an amino alcohol alone, an amino alcohol and a polycarboxylic acid, an amino alcohol, a polycarboxylic acid and a polyol; an amino alcohol, a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol and a hydroxy acid; an amino alcohol, a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol, a hydroxy acid and an amino acid; an amino alcohol, a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol, a hydroxy acid, an amino acid and an amide; a polycarboxylic acid and a polyol; a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol and a hydroxy acid; a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol, a hydroxy acid, and an amino acid; a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol, a hydroxy acid, an amino acid and an amide; a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol, a hydroxy acid, an amino acid, an amide and a polyamine; a hydroxy acid and an amino acid; a hydroxy acid, amino acid and amide; a hydroxy acid, amino acid, amide and polyamine; an amino acid and an amide; an amino acid, amide and a polyamine; an amide and a polyamine; an amino alcohol alone, a polycarboxylic acid alone, a polyol alone, a hydroxy acid alone, an amino acid alone, an amide alone and a polyamine alone.

More specifically, the functionalities of the non-polymeric binder may be selected from the group of glycerin (a polyol), ascorbic acid (a polycarboxylic acid and a hydroxy acid), urea (a polyamide), glycine (an amino acid), pentaerythritol (a polyol), a monosaccharide, a disaccharide (a polyhydric alcohol), as well as citric acid, tartaric acid, dipropylene glycol, and urea derivatives such as DMDHEU. Suitable subgroupings of these binders include glycerin alone; glycerin and ascorbic acid; glycerin, ascorbic acid and urea; glycerin, ascorbic acid, urea and glycine; glycerin, ascorbic acid, urea, glycine and pentaerythritol; glycine, ascorbic acid, urea, glycine, pentaerythritol and a monosaccharide; glycerin, ascorbic acid, urea, glycine, pentaerythritol, a monosaccharide and a disaccharide; ascorbic acid alone; ascorbic acid and urea; ascorbic acid, urea and glycine; ascorbic acid, urea, glycine and pentaerythritol; ascorbic acid, urea, glycine, pentaerythritol and a monosaccharide; ascorbic acid, urea, glycine, pentaerythritol, monosaccharide and a disaccharide; urea alone; urea and glycine; urea, glycine and pentaerythritol; urea, glycine, pentaerythritol and a monosaccharide; urea, glycine, pentaerythritol, a monosaccharide and a disaccharide; glycine alone; glycine and pentaerythritol; glycine, pentaerythritol and a monosaccharide; glycine, pentaerythritol, a monosaccharide and a disaccharide; pentaerythritol alone; pentaerythritol and a monosaccharide; pentaerythritol, a monosaccharide and a disaccharide; a monosaccharide alone; a monosaccharide and a disaccharide; and a disaccharide alone.

Process Advantages

The binders of the present invention also provide numerous process advantages. Binding of particles to the fibers can occur, for example, without external application of heat. Hence particle binding may occur at ambient temperature if desired. The present invention is therefore distinct from prior art crosslinking processes in which elevated temperatures are required to covalently crosslink cellulose groups to one another. Moreover, the binders of the present invention have the advantage of being reactivatable by addition of a liquid solvent such as water. Hence, a liquid binder (which would include a solution of a solid or liquid binder, or a binder that has a melting point below room temperature) can be applied to a cellulose mat in the absence of the particles to be bound and the binder allowed to air dry, for example until it reaches an equilibrium moisture content with the moisture in the ambient air. Alternatively, the binder can be applied as a solid, for example as particles or a powder. At a later stage of processing, water or another liquid is added to those portions of the mat where particulate binding is desired. The particles may then be added to the mat and adhered to those portions of the mat that have been moistened. Alternatively, the particles may be added to the mat prior to activation of the binder.

The binders may be liquids at room temperature (such as glycerin), or liquid solutions of binders that are solids at room temperature (for example, an aqueous solution of glycine), or liquid hot melts of solid binders. Solid binders may be added to fibers in particulate form, for example, by sprinkling binder particles on the fibers.

The binding reaction of the present invention can occur across a broad range of pH without requiring a catalyst. A suitable pH range without a catalyst is 1-14, but preferred ranges are 5-8 or 6-8 because such neutral pH ranges will produce fibrous products (such as cellulose products) that are less prone to damage by acid hydrolysis. A non-acidic pH (7 or greater) will provide an environment that inhibits formation of ester bonds, and promotes formation of the hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds that adhere the particles of the present invention to the fibers with the binder.

The moisture content of the fibers during the binding reaction is 0.5-50%, suitably 5-40%, or preferably 5-20% water by weight of the fibers, binder and particle. A moisture content greater than 20%, or in the range 20-50%, can be used even though such high moisture contents would interfere with intermediate anhydride formation and inhibit formation of covalent ester bonds in the production of high bulk fibers. Particles may be added to the fibers such that the particles are distributed throughout a fibrous product without being confined to a surface of the product. The particles can be distributed throughout the depth of a fiber product such as a mat or web.

The binder is suitably present in the treated product in an amount of at least 3 percent and no more than 80 percent by weight of the fibers, particles, and binder ("percent by weight"). In especially preferred embodiments, the binder is present in an amount of 5-30 percent by weight. Below about 3 percent, an insufficient amount of binder is present to achieve adequate binding, while using excessive amounts of binder can introduce unnecessary expense into the binding process. High percentages of binder can also cause processing problems because the binder material transfers to equipment surfaces.

Thermoplastic binders may also be used to help bind fibers to each other and particles to fibers. The binder that has the hydrogen bonding or coordinate covalent bonding functionalities may itself be thermoplastic. The polymeric binders of the present invention have the advantage of being thermoplastic solids. Hence fibers treated in accordance with the present invention can be thermobonded by elevating the fiber temperature above the melting temperature of the binder to melt the thermoplastic binder and thermoplastically bind the fibers to each other and the fibers to the particles. Alternatively, an auxiliary or second binder can be applied to the fibers as a solid at room temperature, and the temperature of the second binder elevated above its melting point to thermobond the fibers and particles. The auxiliary binder may be applied to the fibers either before or after the primary binder is applied, but before thermobonding.

The binders of the present invention may be used with fibers that have substantial intrafiber covalent crosslinks (such as HBA available from Weyerhaeuser) or fibers which are substantially free of infrafiber covalent crosslinking. Examples of individualized intrafiber crosslinked fibers are seen in European Patent Applications 440 472 A1 and 427 317 A2, which produce products that those publications describe as being substantially free of interfiber bonds. The fibers of the present invention do not need to be processed as in those European applications to eliminate interfiber bonds. Binders of the present invention can therefore be used with natural fibers that have substantial interfiber bonding, which is defined as fibers that have not been processed as in European Applications 440 472 A1 and 427 317 A2 to substantially eliminate interfiber bonds. Cellulose fibers that have not been so processed are substantially free of intrafiber bonds.

The fibrous product of the present method (with or without intrafiber crosslinking) may further be densified by external application of pressure. The densified product is compact, easily transported, and has superior absorbent properties as compared to nondensified products. The present inventors have found that the binders of the present invention produce a product that can be easily densified. Easy densification is associated with the hydrogen bonds and coordinate covalent bonds formed between the binder and the particles and fibers. The fibers are particularly easily densified when at least 5% by weight of the fibers, particles and binder, more preferably 10%, are particles adhered to the fibers by the hydrogen bonds and/or coordinate covalent bonds of the present invention.

In accordance with this invention, the binders may be applied to fibers before, subsequent, or simultaneously with addition of the particles. Simultaneous addition can be accomplished by two separate streams of particles and binder that are simultaneously directed at a fibrous substrate, or alternatively merged immediately prior to impacting against the substrate.

Binding is performed under conditions that favor formation of hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, and discourage formation of covalent bonds. Conditions that favor covalent bonds are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,412,036 and 4,467,012 wherein particle and binder would be laminated between tissue layers under high temperature and pressure to form laminated adherent tissue layers. That patent teaches that minimal adhesion occurs at 200 pli (pounds per linear inch, as in a calendar press) if no external heat is supplied, but adhesion improves as the reaction temperature increases. Improved adhesion of the tissue layers occurs because of enhanced covalent bonding as the temperature increases.

Conditions that favor covalent bond formation are also shown in European Patent Applications 440 472 A1; 427 317 A2; 427 316 A2; and 429 112 A2. These European publications use polycarboxylic acid crosslinkers, and require elevated temperatures (for example above 145° C.) and acidic conditions (pH less than 7) to promote formation of intrafiber covalent ester bonds and inhibit reversion of the ester bonds. The present invention, in contrast, can form hydrogen or coordinate covalent bonds below 145° C., below 100° C., and even at room temperature. The binders of the present invention can also bind particles to fibers under neutral or alkaline conditions, i.e., at a pH above 7, but preferably at a pH of 5-8 or 7-8. Fibers that have high bulk from intrafiber covalent crosslinks are prepared by individualizing the fibers (for example, in a fiberizer) and curing them at an elevated temperature (above 150° C.). Initial application of the binder on such high bulk fibers preferably occurs after the curing step, particularly if the binder is capable of functioning as a crosslinking material. The specific binders disclosed herein that can also crosslink are polyols, polycarboxylic acids, and polyamines (polymeric or nonpolymeric binders with more than one amine group). If such binders are present during curing, the binder will be consumed during the curing step to form covalently crosslinked ester bonds. When this occurs, the binder is no longer available for hydrogen bonding or coordinate covalent bonding, and particle binding to fibers is ineffective.

The intrafiber covalent bond forming processes described in the above European publications require formation of an anhydride that then reacts with a hydroxy group on cellulose to form a covalent ester bond. The presence of more than about 30% water by weight in the fibers interferes with formation of the anhydride and inhibits covalent bond formation. Hence, in processes that use polycarboxylic acid, polyols and polyamines (which includes both polymeric and nonpolymeric amines having more than one amine group) as binders in the present invention, the fibers should contain at least 30% water (or 30-50% water) by weight if the particles and binder are present in the fibers when curing occurs. The water inhibits covalent bond formation, and prevents all of the binder from being used to form covalent intrafiber crosslinks. Hence, some of the binder remains available to form the non-covalent bonds with the particles and produce ease of densification in fiber products made by the process of the present invention.

The present invention, in contrast, produces a product under conditions that favor formation of hydrogen or coordinate covalent bonds. Hence, the particles can be bound to the fibers in the absence of the external application of heat or pressure. Particles may also be bound and the resulting fiber product densified, for example at less than 200 pli (about 8000 psi), or less than 100 pli (about 4000 psi), in the absence of external application of heat to produce a product in which a substantial portion of the particles are bound by non-covalent bonds (hydrogen or coordinate covalent bonds). A substantial portion of particles bound by non-covalent bonds means at least half of the bonds binding the particles are other than covalent bonds, for example by hydrogen or coordinate covalent bonds.

In yet other examples, particles may be bound in the absence of external application of pressure, but at elevated temperatures.

In particularly preferred embodiments, the particles are substantially entirely bound to the fibers non-covalently.

BINDING EXAMPLES FOR POLYMERIC BINDERS

Several examples are given below illustrating use of the polymeric binders of the present invention to attach superabsorbent particles to southern bleached kraft pulp.

EXAMPLE I

A 321 gram amount of NB-416 southern bleached kraft fluff obtained from Weyerhaeuser Company may be air-entrained in a blender-like mixing device and 100 grams of poly(caprolactone) diol (average molecular weight 2000, supplied by Aldrich Chemical Company of Milwaukee, Wis.) dissolved in 100 ml of deionized water may be sprayed onto the fluff as a binder. Then 435 grams of starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) may be added and mixed. The product may then be removed from the blender, and spread out in a fume hood to air dry overnight. The resulting product may then be airlaid on a small airlay line, from M & J Machines (of Horsens, Denmark) and thermobonded at 140° C. for one minute to produce a web containing 40% superabsorbent particles (SAP) attached to the individualized fibers. This binder has a low melting point, hence raising the temperature to 140° C. melted the binder and allows it to flow over the fibers and particles to enhance hydrogen bonding interactions and provide mechanical encapsulation that further binds the fibers and particles. This is an example of activating a solid binder by heating it, without liquid addition. A polypropylene glycol/polyethylene glycol copolymer binder would also behave in this manner.

EXAMPLE II

A 321 gram amount of southern kraft fluff was air-entrained in a blender-like mixing device and 154 grams of a 65% solution of polyacrylic acid (average molecular weight=2,000; supplied by Aldrich Chemical Company of Milwaukee, Wis.) diluted with 100 ml of deionized water was sprayed onto the fluff. Then 435 grams of polyacrylate hydrogel (FAVOR 800 supplied by Stockhausen of Greensboro, N.C.) was added into the mixing device and mixed with the fluff and polyacrylic acid binder. The product was removed and spread out to dry and then fed to a hammermill with a three-eighths inch round hole screen and shunted to a small airlay line to produce a web containing 40% SAP attached to the individualized fibers. The web was thermobonded to improve adherence of the fibers to each other and adherence of the particles to the fibers.

EXAMPLE III

A 321 gram amount of southern bleached kraft fluff is air-entrained in a blender-like mixing device and 100 grams of polyglycine (molecular weight=5,000-15,000; supplied as a dry powder by Sigma Chemical Company of St. Louis, Mo.) diluted with 100 ml of deionized water is sprayed onto the fluff. Then 435 grams of starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) is added and mixed. The product is removed and spread out in a fume hood to dry overnight. The resulting product is fed into a Fitz hammermill with a three-eighths inch round hole screen and shunted to a small M & J airlay line to produce a web containing 40% SAP attached to the fibers.

EXAMPLE IV

A 321 gram amount of southern bleached kraft fluff is air-entrained in a blender-like mixing device and 200 grams of a 50% solution of polyethyleneimine (molecular weight=50,000-100,000; supplied by ICN Biomedicals, Inc. of Costa Mesa, Calif.), or polyvinyl pyridine is sprayed on the fluff. Then 435 grams of starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) is added and mixed. The product is removed and spread out in a fume hood to dry overnight. The resulting product is fed into a Fitz hammermill with a three-eighths inch round hole screen and shunted to a small M & J airlay line to produce a web containing 40% SAP attached to the fibers.

The classes of polymeric binders that encompass those described in Examples I-IV are especially preferred over other multiple hydrogen bonding functionality polymers for a number of reasons. One important reason is that their functionalities produce very strong, effective hydrogen bonding. Other important reasons include their relative lack of reactivity (as compared with polyaldehydes or polyisocyanates) and their low toxicity (again, as compared with polyaldehydes or polyisocyanates).

EXAMPLE V

As previously described, repetition of a hydrogen bonding group on each repeating unit of a polymer has been found to produce a binder that provides superior binding of particles to fibers, as compared to polymeric binders in which the hydrogen bonding functionality is not present on all the repeating units. This example shows the difference in binding efficiency between a 20% carboxylated polymer and a 100% carboxylated polymer. A bound sample was prepared as in Example I using a 20% carboxylated ethylene acrylic acid copolymer and a 100% carboxylated PAA. A sample of each was subjected to the same mechanical agitation (to simulate machine processing required to make a web), screened through a descending series of sieves to remove unattached SAP, and subjected to an absorbent capacity test (less attached SAP would result in a lower absorbent capacity). The result of the test was measured by weighing the unabsorbed liquid (0.9% saline) from a standardized insult, hence a lower number indicates more liquid absorbed or higher absorbent capacity.

A sample of the 20% carboxylated polymer (15% of the total mix) gave a beaker test result of 19.5 grams. A similar sample of polypropylene glycol would give a result of about 20.0 grams. However, the hydrogen bonding functionality of PPG is not as efficient as the carboxyl functionality of PAA. A similar sample of polyacrylic acid (100% carboxyl functionality of PAA) gave a result of 11.3 grams. A comparison of the 20% and 100% carboxylated polymers shows a substantial increase in SAP binding efficiency, as measured by an increase in absorbency of the product.

Non-Polymeric Binding Examples

Several examples are given below illustrating use of several non-polymeric organic binders of the present invention to attach superabsorbent particles to southern bleached kraft pulp. Several examples of binder activation and reactivation are also given.

EXAMPLE VI

A 3171 gram amount of southern bleached kraft fluff was air-entrained in a blender-like mixing device and 1000 grams of glycerin (96%, USP; supplied by Dow Chemical Co. of Midland, Mich.) diluted with 300 ml of deionized water was sprayed onto the fluff. Then 4348 grams of starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) was added to the mixing device and mixed with the fluff and binder. The material was then shunted into a flash tube dryer at 142° F., blown into a cyclone and fed into a Danweb airlay machine to form a web containing bound 40% IM 1000F that is substantially immobile in the web because the particles are bound to the fibers instead of mechanically entrapped by the matrix.

EXAMPLE VII

A 900 gram amount of southern bleached kraft fluff pulp sheet was sprayed with a 50% solution of glycine (supplied as a dry powder by Aldrich of Milwaukee, Wis.) so that the moisture content was 17-21% as the sheet was fed into a Fitz hammermill fitted with a three eighths inch hole screen. Starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) were simultaneously added to the mill by a screw feed device, mixed with the fluff, shunted to an M & J airlay forming machine and airlaid to form a web. The web that resulted contained 20% SAP attached to the fibers substantially uniformly throughout the web without being confined to a surface of the web.

EXAMPLE VIII

A 900 gram amount of southern bleached kraft fluff pulp sheet was sprayed with a 50% solution of pentaerythritol (supplied by Aldrich of Milwaukee, Wis.) so that the moisture content was 17-21% as the sheet was fed into a Fitz hammermill fitted with a three eighths inch hole screen. Starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) were simultaneously added to the mill by a screw feed device, mixed with the fluff, shunted to an M & J airlay forming machine and airlaid to form a web. The web that resulted contained 20% SAP attached to the fibers.

EXAMPLE IX

A 900 gram amount of southern bleached kraft fluff pulp sheet was fed into a Fitz hammermill fitted with a three eighths inch hole screen. The sheet was defiberized, shunted to an M & J airlay line, and airlaid into a web. As the web emerged, target zones of the web were misted with a 50% solution of lactose to raise the moisture content to 17-21%. Five gram aliquots of starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) were subsequently sifted onto the target zones. The web that resulted contained target zones with 5 grams of SAP attached to the fibers of each target zone. Portions of the web that were not targeted for lactose application did not adhere the particles well. This is an example of applying the binder to a target zone so that SAP primarily adheres to the target areas where the binder was applied. Target zone application of SAP can be advantageous because it reduces the cost of the product to provide SAP only in areas of a product where the SAP is needed, for example, the crotch area of a diaper. Placement of SAP in the area where a liquid insult is expected also decreases the necessity for wicking liquid to a SAP impregnated region. This is an advantage because the requirement for wicking can increase liquid leakage in an absorbent product such as a diaper.

EXAMPLE X

A 321 gram amount of southern bleached kraft fluff was air-entrained in a blender-like mixing device and 100 grams of glycerin (96%, USP; supplied by Dow of Midland, Mich.) diluted with 30 ml of deionized water was sprayed onto the fluff. 71 grams of Abscents (an odor absorbing zeolite supplied by UOP of Tarrytown, N.Y.) was then added and mixed in the mixing device with the fibers and glycerin for 15 seconds until a homogenous mixture was achieved. The material was then spread out in a fume hood overnight to dry, airlaid into a web and tested for particulate retention by an ash test. The pad so produced contained 7% particulate. The original addition amount should have produced 15%, hence 50% particle retention was observed. This compares favorably to particulate retention with latex binders under similar conditions in which only about 3% of particles are retained.

Product Characteristics

The following examples illustrate how SAP retention, pad integrity, wettability, bulk and liquid retention are affected by the glycerin binder of the present invention.

EXAMPLE XI

Superabsorbent particles were bound to cellulose fibers with a glycerin binder, as described in Example VI above. For purposes of comparison, superabsorbent particles were bound to a separate sample of cellulose fibers using a polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) binder that was about 3% carboxylated, that is only about 3% of the PVA monomers were carboxylated. Binding was performed as in Example VI, but PVAc was substituted for glycerin. A 100 gram sample of the glycerin and PVAc treated fluff with attached SAP was fed into a fan that was connected by a hose to a small cyclone mounted on top of a material containment box. This was done in an effort to simulate forces of mechanical agitation the fluff would encounter during the airlay process. After collection in the material containment device, fiber with attached SAP was removed and weighed. A five gram sample of the fiber with attached SAP was then placed in a column of sieves with decreasing mesh sizes and subjected to a shaking and thumping action for ten minutes in order to further dislodge any poorly attached SAP. Unattached or poorly attached SAP sifted through screens having a range of 5-60 mesh, while the fiber with well attached SAP remained on the 5 mesh screen.

A 2.00 gram sample of the fibers that remained near the top of the sieve column was then placed in a 75 ml sample of 0.9% saline for exactly one minute. After that minute, the liquid that was not absorbed was poured off into a separate, tared beaker and weighed. The relative amounts of liquid absorbed is indicative of the amounts of SAP bound to the fiber. Fiber retaining higher amounts of SAP tend to absorb more liquid and give a smaller amount of liquid not absorbed.

These results are shown in Table I:

                  TABLE I                                                          ______________________________________                                         Glycerin Binder                                                                Comparing SAP Retention with Glycerin and PVAc Binders                                Binder Beaker result                                                    ______________________________________                                                40-504 22.8 g                                                                  (PVAc)                                                                         3666H  22.0 g                                                                  (PVAc)                                                                         Glycerin                                                                               5.5 g                                                           ______________________________________                                    

Table I illustrates that the glycerin binder provides a product that has an absorbency increase of 400% compared to the PVAc binder. A substantial portion of this improvement is believed to be due to better adhesion between the fibers and SAP, such that the particles are not dislodged from the fibers.

EXAMPLE XII

Pad integrity was compared in fibrous products that used no binder and a glycerin binder at 7% and 11% by weight. Each of these binders was used to bind SAP to fibers as in Example VI, and properties of the pad were measured and are shown in Table II:

                  TABLE II                                                         ______________________________________                                         Tensile Results                                                                Sample     Basis Weight                                                                               Density    Tensile Index                                ______________________________________                                         Pad integrity                                                                  (low density):                                                                 NB-416       464 gsm    0.12 g/cc 0.257 Nm/g                                   (control)                                                                      NB-416/7%  437.6 gsm   0.126 g/cc 0.288 Nm/g                                   Glycerin                                                                       NB-416/11% 402.5 gsm   0.135 g/cc 0.538 Nm/g                                   Glycerin                                                                       Pad Integrity                                                                  (high density):                                                                NB-416     482.1 gsm   0.218 g/cc 0.475 Nm/g                                   (control)                                                                      NB-416/7%  460.7 gsm   0.219 g/cc 0.882 Nm/g                                   Glycerin                                                                       NB-416/11% 421.6 gsm   0.248 g/cc 1.536 Nm/g                                   Glycerin                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

The glycerin binder in this example produced a product that had a higher tensile index than an untreated product. The increased tensile strength was especially enhanced in the densified (high density) product.

EXAMPLE XIII

The effect of binders on the wettability and bulk of fibers was tested using the following fibers: NB-316 (a standard southern bleached kraft pulp with no binder); GNB 25% (a standard southern bleached kraft pulp with 25% glycerin (entrained and sprayed); HBA (a high bulk intrafiber crosslinked fiber available from the Weyerhaeuser Company that contains intrafiber covalent crosslinks); and GHBA (HBA fibers treated with a glycerin binder) in amounts of 12.5% and 25% by weight. Results are given in Tables III and IV.

FAQ time was determined by airlaying a specific quantity (4.00 grams) of the fluff to be tested into a clear plastic tube that was fitted with a screen at one end. The fluff and tube were then placed into a well in the test device and a metal plunger was lowered onto the fluff and the pad's bulk calculated. Water then flowed from underneath the pad, passed through the screen and wicked up through the pad. Absorbency time was measured from when the liquid makes contact with the bottom screen until the water completes an electrical circuit by contacting the foot of the plunger resting on top of the pad. Lower absorbency times indicate better absorbency. Since the absorption of the liquid by the pad was accompanied with some collapse of the pad's structure, the bulk of the wet pad was then recalculated. The amount of liquid absorbed was then measured and a gram per gram capacity for the material was calculated.

Table III gives FAQ time as a measure of wettability. A lower FAQ time indicates a product that is more absorbent and wicks faster. Table IV gives wet bulk of fibers and the adjusted bulk of the fibers. The adjusted bulk is a calculated number obtained by dividing the bulk by the actual percent of pulp in the sample.

                  TABLE III                                                        ______________________________________                                         Wettability                                                                    Fiber          FAQ time                                                        ______________________________________                                         NB-316         3.0 sec                                                         GNB 25%        3.2 sec                                                         HBA            13.5 sec                                                        GHBA 12.5%     4.5 sec                                                         GHBA 25%       0.4 sec                                                         ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE IV                                                         ______________________________________                                         Bulk                                                                           Fiber         Wet Bulk Adjusted Bulk                                           ______________________________________                                         NB-316        12.7 cc/g                                                                               12.7 cc/g                                               GNB 25%       10.9 cc/g                                                                               14.5 cc/g                                               HBA           19.4 cc/g                                                                               19.4 cc/g                                               GHBA 12.5%    16.1 cc/g                                                                               18.4 cc/g                                               GHBA 25%      14.9 cc/g                                                                               19.9 cc/g                                               ______________________________________                                    

The low FAQ times (Table III) in the glycerin treated fibers (GNB, GHBA) show that wettability is as good as the untreated fiber (NB-316). The GHBA 25% had significantly better wettability than untreated HBA. Bulk of glycerin treated fibers (Table IV) was not significantly decreased or changed at all levels of glycerin binder on a fiber to fiber comparison basis.

EXAMPLE XIV

Liquid retention of bound fibers was determined and compared to fibers in which no binder was added. NB-316 is a pulp sheet available from Weyerhaeuser Company in which no binder is used. HBA is described in Example XIII. HBA/Gly SAP was an HBA fiber that was bound with glycerin (12% binder, 48% fiber) and which contained 40% SAP particles. NB-316/Gly SAP is NB-316 fibers to which glycerin and SAP fibers were added.

The procedure for determining liquid retention was to weigh triplicate small portions (near 0.2 grams) of samples to the nearest 0.0001 gram and then heat seal the small portions inside an envelope of a heat sealable nonwoven tea bag. The samples were then immersed in an excess of 0.9% saline for thirty minutes, then drained by suspending them from a clip for fifteen minutes. The samples were weighed to determine the amount of liquid absorbed. The grams of liquid absorbed per gram of sample was calculated and the samples were spun in a centrifuge for one minute. The samples were then reweighed and a percent liquid retention was calculated.

Results are shown in the following Table V:

                  TABLE V                                                          ______________________________________                                         Liquid Retention (after centrifuge)                                            Fiber/Binder         % Retention                                               ______________________________________                                         NB-316/none          less than 1%                                              HBA/none             less than 1%                                              HBA/Gly SAP          23%                                                       NB-316/Gly SAP       31.5%                                                     ______________________________________                                    

The results in Table V illustrate that fibers that have SAP bound to them retain liquid well, while fibers without SAP retain liquid poorly. The glycerin binders provided excellent adherence of SAP to the fibers.

EXAMPLE XV Auxiliary Binder

As previously described, an auxiliary binder can be used in addition to the non-polymeric binders of the present invention. A 321 gram amount of a southern bleached kraft fiber (NB-416, supplied by Weyerhaeuser) was air entrained in a blenderlike mixing device and sprayed with 212.8 grams of a polyvinylacetate latex (PN-3666H, supplied by H B Fuller of Minneapolis, Minn.). While still mixing, 438 grams of a water swellable polyacrylate hydrogel (Favorsab 800, supplied by Stockhausen of Greensboro, N.C.) was added and the resulting mixture was then sprayed with 100 grams of a 50% solution of glycerin (supplied by Dow of Midland, Mich.). The blender was then stopped and the mixture was vacuumed from the blender and placed in a fume hood to air dry overnight. The dried product was then airlaid into a 6" diameter pad in a laboratory padformer, pressed to a density of approximately 0.077 g/cc, and thermobonded at 140° C. for thirty seconds. The resulting pads had 40% bound SAP and improved tensile strength as compared to untreated fluff with SAP and as also compared to binder treated fluff with SAP without the auxiliary binder.

Tensile strength was highest with polyvinylacetate alone, followed by a combination of polyvinylacetate and glycerin, then glycerin alone. Lowest tensile strength was seen with no binder at all.

EXAMPLE XVI

Binders of the present invention may be used to bind particles to pulp fibers that contain synthetic thermobonding fibers. In this example, KittyHawk pulp (available from Weyerhaeuser Company) is a mixture of NB316 southern bleached kraft and 22% polyethylene thermoplastic binder fibers. The KittyHawk pulp is used to produce a pulp web, with SAP bound to the fibers as described in Example III. The web with adhered SAP is then passed through a thermobonder to soften the polyethylene fibers and fuse the fibers of the web to each other to increase web strength.

EXAMPLE XVII

Solid sample ¹³ C NMR spectra were obtained on cellulose fibers treated with ascorbic acid to bind SAP to the fibers. An NMR spectra was also obtained on L-ascorbic acid. In both cases, separate spectra were acquired using recovery delays of 1 sec and 5 sec between acquisitions.

The peaks in the treated fiber spectrum were assigned readily to the components: SAP polyacrylate carboxyl (185 ppm) and backbone (50-30 ppm) carbons; cellulose (106, 90, 84, 76, 73 and 66 ppm); and ascorbic acid ring carbons C-1, C-2 and C-3 (175, 119 and 156/153 ppm, respectively); the other ascorbic acid carbons are in the cellulose region, two of them being resolved at 69 and 61 ppm. The ascorbic acid carbon chemical shifts in this ternary mixture were essentially identical (±0.2 ppm) to their values in pure ascorbic acid. This indicated that the ascorbic acid in the treated fibers had undergone no gross structural changes, such as total neutralization, oxidation or ring opening.

The signal-accumulation rates observed at the two different recovery delay times showed that the proton spins in pure ascorbic acid relaxed after excitation much more slowly than they did in the ternary mixture. As shown in the following table, slow relaxation yields higher signal strength at the long recovery delay relative to the short one. The fast proton spin-lattice relaxation in the coated fibers indicated that the ascorbic acid in this system is held more tightly in place (i.e., is less mobile) than in the bulk acid. The ascorbic acid is apparently held tightly by one or both of the other two components, cellulose and SAP, and not by other ascorbic acid molecules.

If the bonding were purely ionic, involving ascorbate ion and an acrylic acid unit in the SAP, then the NMR of the treated fibers would show the ascorbic acid in the salt form. NMR reference spectra were found of the acid and its salt in aqueous solution, and C-3 is seen to shift dramatically on ionization of its OH group: 156 ppm in the acid to 176 ppm in the salt. Thus, since the NMR spectrum of the ternary mixture contains the peaks at around 156 ppm, the ascorbic acid in this system is not ionized.

The infrared spectra, however, point to substantial disruption in the structure of the ring OH groups, comparing pure ascorbic acid with the treated fibers, with the ascorbic acid in the mixture resembling ascorbate salts in having some of the OH stretching bands missing.

Looking at acidities, ascorbic and polyacrylic acids have nearly identical pK_(a) values (4.2 vs 5, respectively). They are both typical strong organic acids with weak conjugate bases. Thus, there is no compelling reason for one of these acids to be neutralized (ionized) by the conjugate base of the other acid. Rather, there should be a strong tendency for an ascorbic acid and an acrylate ion to share a hydrogen ion between them, resulting in a long hydrogen bond between partially ionic ascorbic and acrylic acid units. This sharing of hydrogen ions would certainly be reflected in the IR spectrum, yet satisfies the NMR data by not invoking full ionization of ascorbic acid. The spectroscopic data are fully consistent with a hydrogen bonding mechanism between ascorbic acid and an acrylate unit in the superabsorber.

    ______________________________________                                         Acrylic Acid NMR Amplitude Ratios at Different                                 Recovery Delay Times.                                                                       Signal Ratio, 5 sec/1 sec                                         Peak Freq., ppm                                                                               Treated Fibers                                                                             Pure Acid                                           ______________________________________                                         176            1.99        5.21                                                156            1.92        --                                                  153            1.80        5.35                                                119            2.10        4.26                                                ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XVIII Fibers With Superabsorber And Ascorbic Acid Infrared Analysis

Infrared transmission spectra of the untreated NB316 pulp, the treated NB316 pulp, ascorbic acid, and the IM 100F superabsorber were prepared. Then, a subtraction spectrum representing the treated pulp minus the untreated control was obtained.

Examination of that subtraction spectrum indicated several infrared bands that were obviously associated with the ascorbic acid. They were evident at 1755, 1690 (shifted slightly from 1660-1670), 868, 821, and 756 wavenumbers (cm⁻¹). However, several other bands that were prominent in the ascorbic acid spectrum were absent in that subtraction spectrum. They included the following: 3525, 3410, 3318, 1319, 1119, and 1026 cm⁻¹.

The higher frequency bands (3300-3600 cm⁻¹) in ascorbic acid are indicative of bonded OH groups. The infrared bands at 1319, 1119, and 1026 cm⁻¹ may also be associated with OH vibrations. Consequently, the IR suggested that the subtraction spectrum reflected primarily a loss of the OH groups that were attached directly to the ring. A likely possibility is that the OH groups were replaced by sodium. The only other major band in the subtraction spectrum was located at 1589 cm⁻¹. This was probably due to the superabsorber C═O which had shifted to a slightly higher frequency (from 1562 cm⁻¹).

EXAMPLE XIX Activation

The binders of the present invention have the advantage of being activatable by addition of liquid or by heating. Hence, a liquid binder can be applied to cellulose fibers, loose or in another form, such as a cellulose mat, in the absence of the particles to be bound. The binder is then dried or allowed to dry, for example until the binder and fiber reach an equilibrium moisture content with ambient air. Alternatively, the binder can be applied as a solid, for example, particles sprinkled onto a fiber mat. At a later stage of processing, a liquid such as water is added to the fibers resulting in an activation of the binder. The particulates may then be added, and the binder secures the particulates to the fibers. This subsequent processing of the fibers to attach the particles can occur, for example, at a separate location from the location where the binder was applied to the fibers. Therefore, manufacturers of products can add particulates of interest (e.g., superabsorbent particles or fibers; antimicrobial particles, etc.) at the place of manufacture of the end products that incorporate the treated fibers. Also, more than one type of particulate material may be added, if desired.

It has also been found that some of the binders of the present invention can be reactivated by mechanical agitation. For example, glycerin binder may be applied to fibrous cellulose. The glycerin binder may be allowed to dry overnight, and the fibers then mechanically agitated in the presence of superabsorbent particles to reactivate the glycerin binder and bind the particles to the fibers. Mechanical agitation may take place, for example, in a defiberizer where a sheet or mat of glycerin treated cellulose fibers are defiberized while being intimately mixed with SAP that is bound to the fibers by the mechanical agitation.

Binder Activation Examples

Binder activation in the present invention allows binder to be added to fibers either before or after particles are added to the fibers. The binder is subsequently activated by addition of liquid, heat, or agitation, and particles are bound to the fibers. The particles may be added to the fibers either before binder activation, after binder activation, or simultaneous with activation. If SAP is to be added to cellulose fibers, for example, the binder may be applied to a pulp sheet which is subsequently fiberized. A liquid such as water may be added to the pulp before or after fiberization, and SAP may be added before or after water addition, or simultaneously with the water. If SAP is added after water addition, the SAP should be applied to the fibers prior to complete evaporation of the added water from the fibers.

Activation can be of all the fibers, or only portions of the fibers, such as target zones or portions of the mat where particulate binding is desired. The particles may then be added to the mat and adhered to the target zones of the mat which have been activated. In some embodiments, the binder is applied as a solid and heated during a later processing stage to activate the binder by softening it such that it binds the particles to the fibers. The particles may be added in a pattern corresponding to a desired distribution of particles in the fibrous material. Most commonly, however, activation is accomplished by moistening a targeted area of the product into which an inactive (dry or dried) binder has already been introduced.

In yet other embodiments, the binder is applied to the fibers and then activated by applying kinetic energy to the fibers. Neat polypropylene glycol (MW 2000) binder, for example, may be sprayed on fibers and allowed to air dry. Desired particles are then added to the fibers as the fibers are mechanically agitated in a blender or defiberizer to kinetically activate the binder and bind the particles to the fibers. For kinetic activation, the binder may be added as a liquid or a solid to the fibers. In the case of liquid addition, the liquid is allowed to air dry, and then reactivated by mechanically agitating the fibers and binder. In the case of solid binder addition, the binder is applied as a solid, and then moistened (for example, to a total fiber moisture content of about 7%) and then mechanically agitated.

Activation of the binder may be performed prior to adding the particles, subsequent to adding the particles, or simultaneously with addition of the particles. Once the binder is activated, it adheres a substantial portion of the particles to the fibers, wherein "a substantial portion" refers to about half of the particles added, at least where the particles are not added in excess. Of the particles that are adhered, at least half of them (and preferably substantially all of them, i.e., over 90%) are adhered to the binder by non-covalent bonds, namely hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, and the binder is in turn adhered to the fibers by hydrogen bonds.

In embodiments in which the binder is applied to the fibers as a solid, the activating step can comprise applying a liquid to the fibers after the binder has been applied to the fibers, shortly before the binder is applied to the fibers, or simultaneously with application of the binder to the fibers.

The activating step may be performed after the curing step is complete, if a curing step is to be performed.

The following example will illustrate several specific applications of the activation process, and are not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed methods.

EXAMPLE XX

The method of Example I above could be modified such that the SAP is not added until after the web is heated to 140° C. A solid polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol copolymer could be substituted for the binder of Example I, and it would melt well below 140° C., and in its liquid form bind the SAP to the fibers. The SAP could be applied randomly across the heated product, or applied specifically to a targeted zone of the product where enhanced absorbency is specifically desired.

EXAMPLE XXI

A southern kraft pulp sheet would be immersed or sprayed with 154 grams of a 65% solution of polyacrylic acid diluted with 100 ml of deionized water. The sheet is then allowed to air dry overnight, heated in an oven at 80° C. for thirty minutes and conditioned in a 50% relative humidity chamber overnight. The sheet is then misted with water to raise its moisture content to 17-20% as it is fed into a Fitz hammermill filled with a three-eighths inch hole screen. Polyacrylate hydrogel particles of FAVOR 800 supplied by Stockhausen would simultaneously be added to the mill by a screw feed device, mixed with the fluff, shunted to an M & J airlay forming machine and airlaid to form a web containing bound SAP throughout the web, i.e., without being confined to a surface of the web. Mixing SAP throughout the fluff helps produce a product in which SAP is homogeneously or randomly distributed, which diminishes problems of gel blocking.

EXAMPLE XXII

900 grams of KittyHawk pulp sheet (from the Weyerhaeuser Co., containing 8% synthetic fiber) is immersed in a 10% by weight solution of polyglycine for thirty minutes. The 5 inch wide sheet was then uncoiled on a lab bench to air dry overnight, heated in an oven at 80° C. for thirty minutes and conditioned in a 50% relative humidity chamber overnight. The sheet is fed into a Fitz hammermill fitted with a three-eighths inch hold screen, defiberized, shunted to an M & J airlay line, and airlaid into a web. As the web emerges, circular target zones of the web are misted with water from a spray bottle to raise the moisture content to 17-21% in the target zone. Five gram aliquots of starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F; supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) are subsequently sifted onto the target zones to yield a web with SAP bound in target zones. The SAP does not form a confluent layer, but is instead present in particulate form on and below the surface of the web.

EXAMPLE XXIII

A 900 gram amount of a southern bleached kraft pulp sheet was immersed in a 2% by mass solution of ascorbic acid (supplied as a dry powder by Aldrich Chemical Co. of Milwaukee, Wis.) for thirty minutes. The 5 inch wide sheet was then uncoiled on a lab bench to air dry overnight, heated in an oven at 80° C. for thirty minutes and conditioned in a 50% relative humidity chamber overnight. The sheet was then gravimetrically determined to be about 7% by weight ascorbic acid. The sheet was misted with water to raise its moisture content to 17-20% as it was fed into a Fitz hammermill fitted with a three eighths inch hole screen. Misting with water reactivated the binder prior to addition of superabsorbent particles (SAP). Starch graft polyacrylate hydrogel fines (IM 1000F supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) were added as SAP to the hammermill by a screw feed device, mixed with the fluff, shunted to an M & J airlay forming machine (from Horsens, Denmark) and airlaid to form a web. The web that resulted contained 20% SAP attached to the fibers by the binder.

EXAMPLE XXIV

A 900 gram amount of KittyHawk pulp sheet (from the Weyerhaeuser Co., containing 22% synthetic fibers) was immersed in a 10% by weight solution of urea (supplied by Aldrich of Milwaukee, Wis.) for thirty minutes. The 5 inch wide sheet was then uncoiled on a lab bench to air dry overnight, heated in an oven at 80° C. for thirty minutes and conditioned in a 50% relative humidity chamber overnight. The sheet was then gravimetrically determined to be about 30% by weight urea. The sheet was fed into a Fitz hammermill fitted with a three eighths inch hole screen, defiberized, shunted to an M & J airlay line, and airlaid into a web. As the web emerged, the binder in the dried web was reactivated by misting target zones of the web with deionized water in a circular pattern from a spray bottle to raise the moisture content of the web or the target zones to 17-21%. Five gram aliquots of polyacrylate hydrogel (FAVOR 800 supplied by Stockhausen of Greensboro, N.C.) were subsequently sifted onto each reactivated target zone. The web that resulted contained target zones with 5 grams of SAP attached to the fibers in each target zone. Alternative spray patterns could be provided by selecting spray heads or different control devices that mist different patterns.

Thermoplastic Binders

An auxiliary binder may also be used to help bind fibers to each other above the melting point of the auxiliary binder. The auxiliary binder may be a solid thermoplastic material that is applied to the fibers and softened by elevating the temperature during the binding step to above the softening temperature of the auxiliary binder. The auxiliary binder is thereby temporarily softened, rendered more fluid (which for purposes of convenience may be referred to as auxiliary binder melting) and subsequently resolidified as the temperature cools, which thermoplastically binds the fibers to each other, and the particles to the fibers. The auxiliary binder may also contain a hydrogen bonding functionality that hydrogen bonds the particles to the fiber. Examples of auxiliary binders that are thermoplastic and also contain hydrogen bonding groups include ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, acrylates, polycarbonates, polyesters and polyamides. Further information about the use of such auxiliary binders can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,166.

The auxiliary or second binder can be added to the fibers, either before or after a first binder, to help bind the fibers to each other and provide additional binding between the fibers and particles. A suitable second binder would be a thermoplastic or thermosetting binder. In the case of thermoplastic polymers, the polymers may be a material which remains permanently thermoplastic. Alternatively, such polymers may be a material which is partially or fully crosslinkable, with or without an external catalyst, into a thermosetting type polymer. As a few specific examples, suitable thermoplastic binders can be made of the following materials

ethylene vinyl alcohol

polyvinyl acetate

acrylic

polyvinyl acetate acrylate

acrylates

polyvinyl dichloride

ethylene vinyl acetate

ethylene vinyl chloride

polyvinyl chloride

styrene

styrene acrylate

styrene/butadiene

styrene/acrylonitrile

butadiene/acrylonitrile

acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene

ethylene acrylic acid

polyethylene

urethanes

polycarbonate

polyphenylene oxide

polypropylene

polyesters

polyimides

In addition, a few specific examples of thermoset binders include those made of the following materials:

epoxy

phenolic

bismaleimide

polyimide

melamine/formaldehyde

polyester

urethanes

urea

urea/formaldehyde

More than one of these materials may be used to treat the fibers. For example, a first coating or sheath of a thermoset material may be used followed by a second coating of a thermoplastic material. The superabsorbent particles or other particles are then typically adhered to the outer binder material. During subsequent use of the fibers to make products, the thermoplastic material may be heated to its softening or tack temperature without raising the thermoset material to its curing temperature. The remaining thermoset material permits subsequent heating of the fibers to cure the thermoset material during further processing. Alternatively, the thermoset material may be cured at the same time the thermoplastic material is heated by heating the fibers to the curing temperature of the thermoset with the thermoplastic material also being heated to its tack temperature.

Certain types of binders enhance the fire resistance of the treated fibers, and thereby products made from these fibers. For example, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl dichloride, ethylene vinyl chloride and phenolic are fire retardant.

Surfactants may also be included in the liquid binder as desired. Other materials may also be mixed with the liquid binder to impart desired characteristics to the treated fibers. For example, particulate material, such as pigments, may also be included in the binder for application to the fibers.

EXAMPLE XXV

As previously described, an auxiliary binder can be used in addition to the polymeric binders of the present invention. A 3210 gram amount of southern bleached kraft binder (NB-416, supplied by Weyerhaeuser Company) is air entrained in a blenderlike mixing device and sprayed with 2128 grams of a polyvinyl acetate latex (PN-3666H, supplied by H.B. Fuller of Minneapolis, Minn.). While still mixing, 4073 grams of a water swellable polyacrylate hydrogel (IM 1000-60, supplied by Hoechst-Celanese of Portsmouth, Va.) is added and the resulting mixture is then sprayed with 1160 grams of a 50% solution of polypropylene glycol (supplied by Union Carbide of Danbury, Conn.). The blender is then stopped and the mixture was shunted into a flash tube dryer. The dried product is then airlaid as a 16 inch wide web on a Danweb airlay machine, pressed to a density of approximately 0.15 g/cc, and thermobonded at 140° C. for thirty seconds. The resulting web would have 40% bound SAP and improved tensile strength (as compared to untreated fluff with SAP).

Application of Binder

The binders of the present invention can be added to the fibers in any convenient manner. One such procedure is to spray the binder or binders on a web of the fibers that is conveyed past a sprayer on a conveyor belt. Alternatively, loose fibers may be allowed to fall past a sprayer, or loose fibers may be moved on a conveyor belt past a sprayer. The loose fibers may also be slurried with or immersed in binder. It is also preferable to roll coat the binders on the web, particularly if the binder is viscous. For solid binders, blending of the fiber and binder may be accomplished or the binder may simply be sprinkled onto or otherwise comingled with the fibers. The fibers may also be sprayed or immersed in the binder, or binder particles may be applied thereto. These fibers can, while still wet in the case of a liquid binder or following reactivation of a liquid or solid, be combined with the particles. The fibers can also be allowed to dry for later reactivation with a reactivation liquid and combined with the particles at that time. Particles may be added from conventional volumetric feeders in a hammermill or from injectors on a paper making line.

One method for uniformly coating the fibers with a binder and adding the particles is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,689, which is incorporated herein by reference. However, the invention is not limited to any specific mechanism for combining the fiber, binder and particles.

PRODUCTION OF HIGH BULK FIBERS

Production of high bulk fibers with intrafiber crosslinks is known in the art. Processes for making such fibers are described in EP 440 472 A1; EP 427 317 A2; EP 427 316 A2; and EP 429 112 A2, as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/607,268 filed Oct. 31, 1990 and its published European counterpart, all of which are incorporated by reference. These high bulk fibers may be used in the present invention, with particles bound to them by the binders disclosed herein. Since methods of making high bulk fibers are known, only a brief description of one such process is given below.

Overall System

The apparatus 10 (FIG. 1) of the present invention comprises a conveying device 12 for transporting a mat 14 of cellulose fibers or other fibers through a fiber treatment zone 16; an applicator 18 for applying a treatment substance such as a crosslinking substance from a source 19 thereof to the mat 14 at the fiber treatment zone 16; a fiberizer 20 for completely separating the individual cellulose fibers comprising the mat 14 to form a fiber output comprised of substantially unbroken cellulose fibers substantially without nits or knots; and a dryer 22 coupled to the fiberizer for flashevaporating residual moisture from the fiber output and for curing the crosslinking substance, thereby forming dried and cured cellulose fibers.

Raw Materials

As used herein, a "mat" denotes any non-woven sheetlike structure comprising cellulose fibers or other fibers that are not covalently bonded together. The fibers may be obtained from wood pulp or other source including cotton "rag", hemp, grasses, cane, husks, cornstalks, or any other suitable source of cellulose fiber that can be laid into a sheet.

The mat 14 of cellulose fibers is preferably in an extended sheet form stored in the form of a roll 24 until use. While the mat 14 can also be one of a number of baled sheets (not shown) of discrete size, rolls 24 are generally more economically adaptable to a continuous process. The cellulose fibers in the mat 14 should be in a non-woven configuration produced by a pulping process or the like, such as in a paper mill, and can be bleached or unbleached. The mat 14 can have any of a wide variety of basis weights. For simplicity, FIG. 1 shows a roll 24 as the source of each mat 14, but it is to be understood that the mat 14 can be supplied in any form amenable for storing sheet-like structures. Also, the mat may be obtained directly from the headbox of paper making equipment or otherwise formed in any suitable manner.

It is normally not necessary that the cellulose fibers comprising the mat 14 be completely dry. Since cellulose is a hydrophilic substance, molecules thereof will typically have a certain level of residual moisture, even after air drying. The level of residual moisture is generally 10% wt/wt or less, which is not detectable as "wetness."

FIG. 1 also shows that more than one supply, such as multiple rolls 24, of the mat 14 of cellulosic fibers can be simultaneously processed using the present invention. For simplicity, FIG. 1 shows two rolls 24 being processed, but it is to be understood that even more supplies of cellulosic fibers can be simultaneously processed, depending upon the capacity of the equipment, particularly the fiberizer 20. As discussed herein below, the preferred embodiment of the fiberizer 20 can fiberize up to six mats at one time.

At the fiber treatment zone 16, sprayers or other applicators 18 apply chemicals such as crosslinking agents to the mat. Typically chemicals are applied uniformly to both sides of the mat. The wetted mat passes between a pair of rollers 28 which assist in distributing the chemicals uniformly through the mat. Other applicators may also, of course, be used.

The crosslinking substance is a liquid solution of any of a variety of crosslinking solutes known in the art. If required, the crosslinking substance can include a catalyst to accelerate the bonding reactions between molecules of the crosslinking substance and cellulose molecules. However, many if not most crosslinking substances do not require a catalyst.

Preferred types of crosslinking substances are selected from a group consisting of urea derivatives such as methylolated urea, methylolated cyclic ureas, methylolated lower alkyl substituted cyclic ureas, methylolated dihydroxy cyclic ureas, and mixtures thereof. A specifically preferred crosslinking substance would be dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU). In addition, crosslinking substances can be polycarboxylic acids , such as citric acid. Crosslinking materials are known in the art, such as described in the previously mentioned Chung patent, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,935,022 to Lash, et al., 4,889,595 to Herron, et al., 3,819,470 to Shaw, et al., 3,658,613 to Steijer, al., 4,822,453 to Dean, et al., and 4,853,086 to Graef, et al., all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Suitable catalysts include acidic salts which can be useful when urea-based crosslinking substances are used. Such salts include ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, aluminum chloride, magnesium chloride, or mixtures of these or other similar compounds. Alkali metal salts of phosphorus-containing acids may also be used.

In FIG. 1, the crosslinking substance applied to the mat 14 is obtained from a supply 19 thereof, such as a tank or analogous vessel.

Crosslinked cellulose fibers are individual fibers each comprised of multiple cellulose molecules where at least a portion of the hydroxyl groups on the cellulose molecules have been covalently bonded to hydroxyl groups on neighboring cellulose molecules in the same fiber via crosslinking reactions with extraneously added chemical reagents termed "crosslinking substances" or "crosslinking agents." Suitable crosslinking agents are generally of the bifunctional type which create covalently bonded "bridges" between said neighboring hydroxyl groups.

Conveying Device

Referring further to FIG. 1, each mat 14 of cellulosic fibers is conveyed by a conveying device 12, which can comprise, for example, a conveyor belt or a series of driven rollers with the mat positioned therebetween. The conveying device 12 carries the mats through the fiber treatment zone 16. FIG. I also shows a further portion of one type of conveying device comprised of a first pair of rollers 26 and a second pair of rollers 28 for each mat 14. The first and second pair of rollers 26, 28 are particularly effective for urging the corresponding mat at a substantially constant and controlled rate of speed.

Fiber Treatment Zone

Each mat 14 is urged by the first and second pair of rollers 26, 28 through the fiber treatment zone 16 where the mat 14 is impregnated with a liquid crosslinking substance. The crosslinking substance is preferably applied to one or both surfaces of the mat using any of a variety of methods known in the art useful for such a purpose, such as spraying, rolling, dipping, or analogous method. Spraying has the advantage of consistent and rapid full coverage of a planar surface such as that of a mat at a controllable rate, especially when the spray is applied to a surface moving past a spray nozzle or analogous applicator at a fixed rate. Roller applicators have also proven to be reliable and effective in such applications as paper coating and the like and would therefore be effective for applying the crosslinking substance in the present instance. Combinations of spray and roller applicators can also be employed.

The crosslinking substance is typically applied in an amount ranging from about 2 kg to about 200 kg chemical per ton of cellulose fiber and preferably about 20 kg to about 100 kg chemical per ton of cellulose fiber.

Fiberizer

The next subsystem following the fiber treatment zone is a fiberizer 20 which serves to comminute one or more mats 30 impregnated with the crosslinking substance into individual substantially unbroken cellulose fibers comprising a fiber output.

Referring further to FIG. 1, a first conveyer fan 160 of conventional design can be utilized for propelling the fibers from the outlet 62 of the attrition device 32 through a conduit 162.

An optional component of the fiberizer 20 is a first cyclone 164 or similar apparatus known in the art, utilized in a conventional manner to concentrate the fibers passing out of the outlet 62 of the attrition device 32. The first cyclone 164 receives the fibers through the conduit 162 coupled thereto.

Excess air can be recovered at the top 166 of the first cyclone 164 and recycled as required through a conduit 168 to a location upstream of the first conveyer fan 160 (if used). Such additional air can be beneficial for easing the transfer of the fibers through the first conveyor fan 160.

A disk refiner 168 is another optional component of the fiberizer 20 which can be employed to effect additional separation of fibers (removal of knots) if required. The disk refiner 168 is of a type known in the art and comprises a disk refiner inlet 170 and a disk refiner outlet 172. A representative disk refiner 168 is type DM36 manufactured by Sprout-Bauer, Incorporated of Muncie, Pa. If the disk refiner 168 is used, the inlet 170 thereof is coupled via a conduit 174 to an outlet 176 of the first cyclone 164.

A second conveyor fan 178 may optionally be utilized to urge propagation of the fibers through a conduit 180 downstream of the disk refiner 168. Excess air can be recovered from the top 166 of the first cyclone 64 and routed Via a conduit 181 to a tee 182 just upstream of the second conveyor fan 178.

Another optional component of the fiberizer 20 is a fluff generator 190 which receives the fibers from the optional second conveyor fan 178 through a conduit 184. The fluff generator is described in detail below and in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/607,157, incorporated herein by reference.

Dryer

Referring further to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present apparatus 10 includes a dryer 22 which is utilized to perform two sequential functions: remove residual moisture from the fibers and cure the crosslinking agent. Preferably, the dryer 22 comprises a drying zone 273 for receiving fibers, e.g. from fluff generator outlet 204 and for removing residual moisture from the fibers via a "flash drying" method and a second drying zone 260, 262 for curing the crosslinking agent. In FIG. 1, the curing starts in zone 260 and continues through zone 262.

The FIG. 1 embodiment shows that zone 273 is coupled to the fluff generator outlet by a conduit 272 and to a source 274 of heated air, typically produced by combustion of a supply of natural gas 276 and fresh air 278. The temperature of heated air is regulated to maintain the temperature of the drying zone 273 within a range of about 200° C. to about 315° C. As the fiber output passes into the drying zone 273, the wet fibers comprising the fiber output are substantially instantaneously exposed to the high temperature in this zone. Such rapid exposure to high temperature imparts a "flash drying" effect to the fibers, thereby causing rapid and thorough drying. Such "flash drying" also tends to separate, in a microscopically explosive manner, fibers that are touching one another, thereby ensuring thorough separation of the fibers. The passage time through the drying zone 273 is preferably less than one second, which is deliberately kept short to avoid overheating and scorching the fibers, which become highly susceptible to scorching after the residual moisture has been driven therefrom.

The FIG. 1 embodiment shows that the first zone 260 is comprised of a first tower 264 comprised of a body portion 266, an inlet 268, and a first tower outlet 270. The dryer zone 273 is coupled via a conduit 272 to the outlet of the fluff generator 190. Since the fluff generator 190 is an optional component, it is also possible to couple the dryer zone 273 directly to the outlet 62 of the attrition device 32 if neither the fluff generator 190 nor the disk refiner 168 are included.

In FIG. 1, the first tower outlet 270 is shown preferably coupled via a conduit 280 to a down tube 282, which is coupled via a conduit 284 to a third conveyor fan 186 located at an inlet 288 of a second tower 290.

The third conveyor fan 286 performs the function of transporting the fibers through the dryer which thereby pass through the inlet 288 of the second tower 290.

The second tower 290 is shown which includes the inlet 288, a second tower body 292, and an outlet 294 serving as an outlet of the dryer 22. Dried fibers are propelled through the inlet 288 of the second tower 290 via the third conveyor fan 286. As the fibers are lofted through the second tower body 292, they are still exposed to a curing temperature within a range of about 140° C. to about 180° C., which is sufficient to effect curing of the crosslinking agent without scorching the dry fibers. The lofting keeps the fibers separated until the crosslinking reaction is complete. The curing temperature depends upon the type of crosslinking material used to treat the fibers and also is set at a level so as to not scorch the fibers during curing. It should be noted that single stage dryers may also be used.

The dried and cured fibers exiting the dryer outlet 294 have an extremely low level of nits and virtually no knots. Further, they are not discolored from scorching and the like, and have a median fiber length substantially unchanged from the median length of the fibers comprising the mat 14.

FIG. 1 also shows a second cyclone 300 of conventional design coupled via a conduit 302 to the dryer outlet 294, serving to concentrate the fibers passing therethrough in preparation for collection. Excess air 304 is vented through the top 306 of the second cyclone 300. The resulting concentrated fibers can be collected using any of a number of collection devices 308 known in the art, such as fiber bagging devices.

EXAMPLE XXVI

In this example, non-woven fibrous mats were impregnated with a crosslinking agent, fiberized, dried, and cured using the apparatus as diagrammed schematically in FIG. 1.

Two 52-inch wide mats of southern pine kraft wood pulp fibers (type NB316 from Weyerhaeuser Company) and having a basis weight of 680 g/m² were fed to the apparatus. The mats were impregnated using dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea at a concentration of about 5%, applied over both sides of each mat using a combination of spray nozzles and impregnation rollers. The loading level of crosslinking agent was about 4.5% w/w.

The treated fiber mats were fed at the rate of 8 meters/min. to the attrition device 32. The specific attrition device used in this example was equipped with six mat inlets and a rotor having 16 rows of hammers as described above around the circumference of the rotor. The rotor had a diameter of 30 inches and was rotated at an angular velocity of 1200 rpm by an electric motor. Other rpm rates have also been tested and have proven satisfactory, including extremely high rpm rates.

Random samples of fibers were obtained from the output attrition device and observed for nits. These samples were 2.6 grams and were consistently observed to have fewer than three nits on the average with most samples having no nits. The attrition device was flushed with water once every sixteen hours for cleaning purposes.

A disk refiner was employed downstream of the attrition device. This specific disk refiner was a DM36 refiner as previously mentioned.

A fluff generator as described in FIGS. 7-9 was also employed in this downstream of the disk refiner.

The temperature at the dryer input in this example was within the range of 200° C. to 315° C. The temperature at the second tower outlet was within the range of 140° C. to 180° C.

Crosslinked fiber at the output of the dryer was produced at a rate of about 5000 pounds per hour and had a nit level on an average of from 1 to 3 and a maximum bulk of greater than 22. Bulk and nit levels were determined by the following procedure, involving the production of test "handsheets" with a diameter of about 6 inches:

A "British handsheet mold" was filled with 3 to 4 inches of water. To approximately 750 mL of water were added 1.2 grams of pulp, available from Weyerhaeuser Company, followed by agitation using a Waring blender for 20 seconds to yield a pulp slurry. A 2.4 gram sample of the above obtained crosslinked fiber was added to the pulp slurry in the blender followed by agitation therein for another 10 seconds. The resulting slurry was added to the handsheet mold up to a fill mark. The slurry in the mold was gently mixed using a spatula for 3 seconds, then drained, leaving the pulp wet laid on the screen in the mold. The wet pulp layer was blotted to remove as much moisture as possible, then removed from the screen. The resulting handsheet was dried between two blotters on a drum dryer, then weighed to the nearest 0.01 gram immediately after drying.

Bulk was determined using a caliper, performed immediately after drying. Mean thickness was determined using five thickness determinations of various locations on the handsheet. Bulk was calculated in units of cm³ /g as follows: ##EQU1##

Nit level was determined by examination of the handsheet and simple determination of the number of nits present on the handsheet. If no nits were observed, a nit level of 1 was assigned to the test sheet; if 1 nit was observed, a nit level of 2 was assigned to the sheet; and so forth for higher nit levels.

Therefore, the apparatus of the present invention effectively produces a low nit, high bulk fiber product with intrafiber covalent crosslinks. The product of Example XXVI can then be subjected to the particle binding process of the present invention, as in Examples XXVIII and XXIX, wherein the high bulk fiber is referred to as HBA.

The particle binders and particles of the present invention can be added before, after, or simultaneously with curing. The term "curing in the presence of the binder" means that the binder is added before or simultaneously with curing. Curing in the presence of the binder is not usually a problem because the binder cannot participate in the intrafiber crosslinking reaction, and the binder is not affected by the curing step. In certain situations, however, the binder can also form covalent intrafiber crosslinks. Polycarboxylic acids (such as citric acid), polyols (such as propylene glycol) and polyamines (such as ethylene diamine) can function as crosslinking agents, and are consumed during the curing step in the formation of covalent crosslinks. Hence in the limited case in which the crosslinking agent is also a binder material, steps should be taken to prevent the binder from being consumed as a crosslinker in the curing step.

Formation of the intrafiber covalent ester bond requires an anhydride intermediate. Formation of the anhydride intermediate can be inhibited by the presence of water. The present inventors have found that about 30% water by weight in the fibers will sufficiently inhibit ester bond formation during curing so that adequate binder will remain in the fibers to bind the particles to the fibers. Hence when curing the crosslinking material in the presence of a binder that is also a crosslinking material, the fibers should contain at least about 30% water by weight of the fibers when curing begins. When curing the crosslinking material in the presence of a binder that is not also a crosslinking material, no steps need be taken to inhibit ester bond formation. When the crosslinking material is not cured in the presence of the binder, that is when the binder is applied after curing, no steps need be taken to inhibit covalent ester bond formation.

Composite Absorbent Product

In accordance with the present invention, absorbent structures may be made from the fibers, with binder and adhered particulates, in accordance with the present invention. These articles may be composite structures (e.g., made of plural materials). For example, the articles may have a core of plural types of fibers, or fiber layers, with or without covering materials. These products are capable of absorbing significant quantities of water and other fluids, such as urine and other body fluids. Such products include, but are not limited to, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinent pads, towels and the like.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an absorbent towel 350 may have a core 366 with a cover sheet 382 and a backing sheet 384. The core 366 may be comprised of fibers with the binders of the present invention and particulate materials, such as superabsorbent particles secured to the fibers by the binder. The fibers that contain the binder may be blended with other fibers as well in the core. Cover sheet 382 is made of any suitable material, including liquid permeable, nonwoven materials, which will readily permit the passage of liquid through the cover sheet to the absorbent pad 366. The following list of liquid permeable materials is provided by way of example only: nonwoven sheets of polypropylene, rayon, nylon fibers, polyester fibers, and blends thereof. A specifically preferred cover sheet material for wipes is a 70% rayon/30% polyester blend having a basis weight of 21.5 grams/m², available from the Scott Paper Company.

The backing sheet 384 may be, but is not necessarily, made of a liquid impermeable material, including but not limited to, films of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester and blends thereof along with nylon and polyvinyl chloride films. A specifically preferred backing sheet material is a polyethylene film from Dow Chemical Company.

FIGS. 2-3 illustrate an absorbent pad structure which may be formed from fibers of the present invention, whether or not they are blended with other fibers. FIGS. 2 and 3 represent an absorbent pad having a heat embossed screen pattern 385. Pads having no pattern may also be used. A pad having a cover sheet and a backing sheet may be formed, for example, by placing a square fiber piece cut from the sheet onto a corresponding precut backing sheet. A corresponding precut cover sheet is placed over the top of the fiber on the backing sheet. This assembly may then be adhesively bonded.

With reference to FIGS. 4-7, absorbent structures in the form of bandages or dressings are shown. In FIGS. 4 and 5, a bandage 410 for application to a wound to absorb blood and other bodily fluids is shown. An absorbent pad 366 (FIG. 5) is securely mounted to an exterior or pad mounting surface 414 of a backing strip 416. Any suitable mounting or securing means may be used to affix pad 366 to the surface 414 of the strip 416. However, it is preferable for surface 414 to be coated with an adhesive so that the pad 366 may be adhesively mounted in place. An exemplary adhesive is ethylene vinyl acetate adhesive. It is also desirable for the overall surface 418 of backing strip 416 to be coated with a conventional adhesive. Surface 418 is the surface which is affixed to the area of the skin surrounding the wound. Conventional "peel-back" tabs may be used to protect the adhesive coating and pad 366 until the bandage is to be applied. This type of backing strip is well known in the art.

The backing strip 416 may be of any known flexible material suitable for application to the skin. It is preferable for the strip 416 to be of a material which is impermeable to the passage of liquid so that fluid from a wound is contained by the bandage. However, the strip 416 may be apertured or otherwise breathable to permit air to reach the wound to promote the healing process. A specific example of a suitable backing strip 416 is a polyethylene film.

As in the other structures described, a variety of combinations of antimicrobials and other particles may be used in such a bandage. Again, however, the particles are adhered securely in place when the particles have a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality, the fibers to which these particles are bound have a hydrogen bonding functionality, and wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a polypropylene glycol, a polypropylene glycol/polyethylene glycol copolymer, polyacrylic acid, a polyamide, or a polyamine and the polymeric binder has a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bond forming functionality on each repeating unit of the binder. Two different particles, such as antimicrobials in particulate form, may be adhered to the same fiber. In the alternative, each different type of antimicrobial particle or other particle may be adhered separately to different fibers. Also, blends of fibers may be included in absorbent structures such as pad 366. For example, these blends may include fibers with adhered antimicrobial (one or more antimicrobials) particles and adhered superabsorbent particles; fibers with one or more antimicrobial particles without superabsorbent particles blended with fibers having adhered superabsorbent particles with or without antimicrobial particles; and combinations of such fibers with untreated fibers and/or binder coated fibers without superabsorbent particles or antimicrobial particles. In addition, other particles, such as anticoagulants or hemostatics may be attached to the fibers.

The absorbent pad 366 of bandage 410 may also include a cover sheet 420. Cover sheet 420 is typically made of any suitable material which will readily permit the passage of liquid through the cover sheet to the absorbent pad 366, such as nonwoven fiber webs of fibers such as, for example, rayon, nylon, polyester, propylene and blends thereof. One specifically preferred cover sheet material is a 70 percent rayon/30 percent polyester blend having a basis weight of 18 g/m² from Scott Paper Company.

The dressing 366 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrates fibers 421 placed within an enclosure 422. Enclosure 422 has at least one liquid permeable surface through which fluid or liquid may pass to be absorbed by the fibers. The enclosure containing the loose fibers may be secured to the skin using adhesive tape, for example. Again, the fibers 421 preferably include antimicrobial particles attached to at least some of the fibers.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate fibers of the present invention incorporated into a feminine hygiene appliance such as a feminine pad or tampon. In this case, the feminine pad 510 is illustrated as having a cover sheet 512. The loose fibers having adhered antimicrobial particles, which may alternatively be in the form of a pad, are included within the interior of the feminine appliance as indicated at 366 in FIG. 9. The cover 512 is preferably liquid permeable so that bodily fluids may reach the interior of the pad for purposes of absorption. The cover 512 may be wrapped around the core 366 (as indicated by edges 514, 515). A backing sheet 516, preferably of a liquid impermeable material, may be adhered to the edges 514, 515 at the underside of the core. An adhesive containing strip, such as indicated at 520, which may have a peelable or removable cover, may be mounted to the backing sheet 516 for use in adhering the pad, for example to a user's undergarment, during use.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a conventional disposable diaper 550 with a core 552 which is comprised of fibers of the present invention with adhered superabsorbent particulate materials. These particulate materials may be confined to a target zone (for example, the front portion of a diaper indicated at 556) or of a heavier concentration in the target zone. This can be accomplished by airlaying fibers of the present invention in such a zone. Also, the core may be reactivated by melting the binder or moistening the target zone with water. The superabsorbent particles may be sprinkled on or otherwise applied to this wetted zone. As the zone dries, the particles are adhered in place.

Densification

The products such as described above, as well as webs of the fibers of the present invention, can also be densified by external application of pressure to the web. The web of Example II, for instance, could be densified by passing it through a set of calendar rolls set at 60 and 90 pli (pounds per linear inch, as in a calendar press) respectively to yield sheets with increased densities. Densification may alternatively be provided by compaction rolls or presses. The present inventors have found that densification is facilitated in the products treated with the binders of the present invention. Products that are treated with these binders require less heat and pressure than untreated fibers to densify to a given density. Densification is preferably performed to produce a product that has a density of about 0.1 to 0.7 g/cc, more preferably 0.1 to 0.3 g/cc.

An example of densification using some of the binders of the present invention is given below:

EXAMPLE XXVII

Any of the products of the present invention can be formed into 550 gram/square meter sheets, six inches in diameter, in a laboratory padformer. Those pads are then passed through a set of calendar rolls set at 60 and 90 pli, respectively to yield sheets with densities of 0.3 and 0.5 g/cc.

EXAMPLE XXVIII

A 50 gram amount of polypropylene glycol is diluted with 50 grams deionized water. The resulting solution is sprayed on 321 grams of an intrafiber crosslinked cellulose fluff (HBA from Weyerhaeuser Company of Tacoma, Wash.) that was air entrained in a blender like mixing device. While the HBA fiber is still damp, 438 grams of IM 1000F (supplied by Hoechst-Celanese, of Portsmouth, Va.) is added to the mixture. The resultant mixture is then vacuumed from the blender and spread on a counter to dry overnight. Then 550 gram/square meter handsheets, six inches in diameter, are made in a laboratory padformer. Those pads are then pressed at 2000 and 3000 psi (or 60 and 90 pli in a calendar roll), respectively, to yield sheets with densities of 0.3 and 0.5 g/cc. Alternatively, pads of untreated HBA blended with 45% IM 1000F would require heating to 100° C. and pressures between 8,000 and 11,000 psi to produce pads of similar densities.

EXAMPLE XXIX

HBA (See Example XXVIII) with 40% IM1000F and HBA with 12% glycerin and 40% IM1000F were formed into six inch pads in the padformer then pressed at about 6500 psi for 15 seconds. HBA without glycerin binder reached a density of 0.4 g/cc and HBA with glycerin bound particles reached a density of 0.57 g/cc. This example illustrates that fibers treated with the method of the present invention achieve a greater density than untreated fibers at the same compression pressure.

Water Addition

In some embodiments of the invention, a crosslinking material is added to the fibers and cured to form intrafiber covalent bonds that produce high bulk fibers. If the crosslinking material and binder are the same (for example, a polycarboxylic acid), or are both different but capable of intrafiber crosslinking, and the binder is added before curing occurs, substantially all of the crosslinking material/binder will be used in the covalent crosslinking reaction, such that none will be available for subsequent binding of the particles to the fibers with hydrogen bonds and coordinate covalent bonds. In this particular instance (where the crosslinking material and binder are both capable of crosslinking, and are added before curing) water may be added to the fibers before curing to inhibit formation of anhydrides that are intermediates in the covalent crosslinking reaction. At least 20% (more preferably 30%) water by weight in the fibers sufficiently inhibits intrafiber covalent bond formation to allow residual polycarboxylic acid on the fibers to bind the particles to the fibers. The following example illustrates this process.

EXAMPLE XXX

A 100 gram pulp sheet was sprayed with 44.5% intrafiber crosslinking material, and the pulp sheet was then delaminated and fed in small bits into a padformer while adding superabsorbent particles to delaminated pulp sheet at the same time. The material was run a second time through the padformer to fluff it up, and the material was then subsequently cured for 20 minutes in an oven at 150° C.

In a first run, the crosslinking material was a modified ethylene urea and citric acid, while the particulate material was IM1000F. To the 100 g pulp sheet was added 63.4 grams of a modified ethylene urea, 16.76 grams citric acid, and 70 grams of IM1000F, for a final crosslinker content of 35.2% the ethylene urea and 9.3% citric acid, by weight. No water was added in this run.

In a second run, the 100 gram pulp sheet was crosslinked with 30.83 grams of a polyaldehyde, 5.03 grams of a glycol, 0.2 grams alum, 0.2 grams citric acid, and 15 grams distilled water. Curing was performed after 70 grams of IM1000F SAP was added to the pad.

Attachment of the particles to the pad was poor in both of these runs.

Each of these runs was then repeated, except 50 grams of distilled water was added before curing. Hence there was 50 g of water in the first run and 65 g of water in the second run. Particle attachment to the fibers was greatly improved.

Electron microscopic examination of the fibers from these runs showed that particle bonding did not occur in the absence of the 50 g water addition. In the presence of 50 grams distilled water, however, electromicroscopic data showed actual bonding of the particles to the fibers.

Particulate Binding

FIG. 12 shows an isolated, enlarged cellulose fiber 600 with SAP particles 602 bound to it by a binder of the present invention. This drawing illustrates an example of the SAP retaining its discrete particulate from following binding to the fibers. Some particle to particle fusion may occur in accordance with this invention, but maintenance of a discrete particulate form excludes formation of a completely confluent film in which the particles lose their particulate identity. Such a confluent film produces gel blocking that interferes with efficient liquid absorption into the fibers.

The shown fiber 600 is elongated, and has an aspect ratio (ratio of length to width) of about 10:1 to 5:1, preferably about 10:1.

FIG. 13 shows the particles 602 distributed substantially uniformly throughout the depth 604 of a pad 606. The particles are also shown adhering to all the surfaces of the pad. Particles may be distributed in any desired pattern throughout the pad in accordance with this invention, and need not necessarily adhere to all surfaces or be distributed throughout the volume of the mat, or distributed uniformly.

Electron Photomicrographs

An electron photomicrograph of superabsorbent particles (SAP) bound to cellulose fibers with an ascorbic acid binder is shown in FIG. 14. The SAP is at the left margin of the photograph, and is fused to the fiber which occupies the central portion of the photomicrograph. The particle is seen to be fused to the fiber, and the fiber has undergone some shear damage that resulted in a fracture of the fiber. It is significant that the fiber has experienced shear damage while the particle has remained fused to the fiber, because this indicates that the particle-fiber bond formed by the ascorbic acid is very strong and resilient, resisting mechanical disruption.

FIG. 15A-D shows several electron photomicrographs that illustrate individual particles bound to fibers with a lactose binder. FIG. 15C, for example, shows that SAP retains its individual particulate form when adhered to the fiber with a lactose binder. The particles do not form a fused confluent mass without particulate identity. As shown in the drawings at FIGS. 12-15, the binder does not encapsulate the particles and fibers.

Fiber Mixtures

The fibers of the present invention, such as fiber 600, can be mixed with other types of fibers, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,166 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The latex coated fibers of that patent can be mixed with the fibers of the present invention to produce an absorbent product that has characteristics of both types of fibers.

Additional Binder Characteristics

U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,889 discloses a process for adhering absorbent particles to pulp fibers using syrup, honey, and other polysaccharides such as dextrins. An essential requirement of these adhesive agents is that they must possess the property of being permanently pliable, and not rigidifying into a brittle film. The binders of the present invention, in contrast, are capable of functioning as a binder after solidifying into a rigid crystalline material. Even the binders of the present invention that do not rigidify into a solid (such as glycerin, low molecular weight PEG (below about 4000 g/mole) and PPG) are very hygroscopic, and can be present on fibers having a total water content of no more than 15%, or even 12%. This is in contrast to the adhesives such as honey and corn syrup disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,889 that are not hygroscopic. Polysaccharides (such as corn syrup, honey and dextrins) are excluded as binders from some embodiments of the invention because they are a fertile substrate for microbial growth. The polysaccharide polymers are also excluded from nonpolymeric embodiments of the binder. Moreover, monosaccharides and disaccharides lack the high viscosity and tacky-adhesive physical properties of polysaccharides such as corn syrup and honey.

Having illustrated and described the principles of the invention in many preferred embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. We claim all modifications coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims. 

We claim:
 1. A method of producing individualized high bulk fibers with adhered particles comprising:providing individualized cellulose fibers that have hydrogen bonding functional sites, wherein the individualized fibers are cured in the presence of a crosslinking material at an elevated temperature to produce cured high bulk fibers with intrafiber covalent crosslinks while leaving hydrogen bonding functional sites available on the cured fibers for hydrogen bonding, and the fibers are fiberized to reduce interfiber bonding between the cured fibers; adding particles to the fibers before, during or after the fibers are cured, wherein the particles have a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality; and applying a binder to the fibers before, during or after the fibers are cured or fiberized, wherein the binder binds the particles to the fibers by chemically bonding the particles to the fibers at the interface between the particle and fiber while the particle retains its individual particulate form on the surface of the fiber, wherein the particles are chemically bonded to the binder by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, and the binder that binds the particle is in turn bonded to the fibers by a hydrogen bond, the binder having a volatility less than water, the binder also having a functional group that forms the hydrogen bond or coordinate covalent bond with the particles, and a functional group that forms the hydrogen bond with the fibers, wherein at least 0.05% by weight of the fibers, binder and particles is particles bound to the binder by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, with the binder that binds the particle in turn to the individualized fibers by a hydrogen bond.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least 5% by weight of the fibers, binder and particles is particles bound to the binder by hydrogen bonds, with the binder in turn bound to the fibers by a hydrogen bond.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the curing step comprisesa) using any crosslinking material and curing the crosslinking material before applying the binder; or b) curing the crosslinking material in the presence of the binder, wherein the binder is not a crosslinking material; or c) curing the crosslinking material in the presence of the binder, wherein the binder is also a crosslinking material, and the fibers contain sufficient water when the curing step begins to inhibit formation of anhydride intermediates and thereby prevent the binder from being totally consumed when the crosslinking material is cured in the presence of the binder.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the binder that is also a crosslinking material is selected from the group consisting of polycarboxylic acid, a polyol, a polyaldehyde, and a polyamine.
 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the curing step comprises curing the crosslinking material before applying the binder.
 6. The method of claim 3 wherein the curing step comprises curing the crosslinking material in the presence of the binder, wherein the binder is not a crosslinking material selected from the group consisting of a polycarboxylic acid, a polyaldehyde, a polyol or a polyamine.
 7. The method of claim 3 wherein the curing step comprises curing the crosslinking material in the presence of the binder, wherein at least one of the binder and crosslinking material are selected from the group consisting of a polycarboxylic acid, a polyaldehyde, a polyol and a polyamine, and the fibers contain at least 20% or more water by weight of the fibers when the curing step begins.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the crosslinking material is a polycarboxylic acid, and the fibers contain 20% or more water by weight when the curing step begins.
 9. The method of claim 1 in which the binder is selected from the group consisting of (a) a polymeric binder with repeating units, wherein each repeating unit has a functional group capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, or a hydrogen bond with the fibers; and (b) a non-polymeric organic binder with a functional group capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, and a functional group capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the particles comprise superabsorbent particles that retain their particulate form when bound to the fibers by the binder.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the fibers comprise wood pulp fibers.
 12. The method of claim 9 wherein the particles comprise superabsorbent particles and the fibers comprise wood pulp fibers.
 13. The method of claim 9 wherein the binder is a polymeric binder selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyacrylic acid, poly(caprolactone) diol, polyamides, polyamines, and copolymers thereof.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyamides, polyamines, and copolymers thereof.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a polyamide and a polyamine, and copolymers thereof.
 16. The method of claim 9 wherein the binder is a non-polymeric organic binder that includes a functionality selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an alcohol, an amino acid, an amide, and an amine, wherein there are at least two functionalities on the molecule selected from this group, and the two functionalities are the same or different functionalities.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the binder contains a carboxylic acid functionality.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the binder includes a functionality selected from the group consisting of an amino acid, an amide, and an amine, wherein there are at least two functionalities on the molecule selected from this group, and the two functionalities are the same or different functionalities.
 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the binder includes a functionality selected from the group consisting of a polycarboxylic acid, a hydroxy acid, an amino acid or a carboxyamide.
 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the binder is an alcohol selected from the group consisting of a polyol and an amino alcohol.
 21. The method of claim 16 wherein the binder includes more than one amine functionality.
 22. The method of claim 16 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyamide and an organic binder that includes more than one amide functionality.
 23. The method of claim 16 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, ascorbic acid, urea, glycine, pentaerythritol, a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, citric acid, tartaric acid, dipropylene glycol, and urea derivatives.
 24. The method of claim 1 wherein the particles are selected from the group consisting of superabsorbent particles, zeolites, and antimicrobials.
 25. High bulk fibers produced by the method of claim
 1. 26. An absorbent article comprising the product of claim
 25. 27. The method of claim 3 in which the step of curing the crosslinking material is performed prior to the step of applying the binder and prior to the step of adding the particles.
 28. The method of claim 3 in which the step of curing the crosslinking material and the step of applying the binder are both performed prior to the step of adding the particles.
 29. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of activating the binder in the presence of the particles to adhere the particles to the fibers with the binder.
 30. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of activating the binder by adding an activating liquid to the cured fibers and binder prior to adding the particles, wherein the binder then adheres the particles to the fibers.
 31. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of activating the binder by adding an activating liquid to the cured fibers and binder while simultaneously adding the particles.
 32. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of activating the binder by adding an activating liquid to the cured fibers, binder and particles, wherein the binder then adheres the particles to the fibers.
 33. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder is a liquid or a moistened solid, and the method further includes the step of activating the binder by mechanically agitating the cured fibers and particles in the presence of the binder, such that the binder then adheres a substantial portion of the particles to the fibers.
 34. The method of claim 1 in which the binder and particles are provided on the fibers prior to curing the crosslinking material.
 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of activating the binder before curing the crosslinking material.
 36. The method of claim 2 in which the binder and crosslinking material are provided on the fibers prior to curing the crosslinking material, and the crosslinking material is then cured, wherein a sufficient portion of the functional groups of the binder remain capable of forming said hydrogen and coordinate covalent bonds after curing the crosslinking material, such that a substantial portion of the bonds that bind the particles to the fibers are hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, and the binder is in turn bound to the fibers by hydrogen bonds.
 37. The method of claim 34 including the step of activating the binder in the presence of the particles such that the activated binder adheres a substantial portion of the particles to the cured fibers.
 38. The method of claim 1 wherein the particles and binder are present in a weight ratio of 2:1 to 4:1.
 39. A method of producing high bulk fibers with a binder adhering particles to the fibers, the method comprising:providing cellulosic fibers that have hydrogen bonding functional sites; adding superabsorbent particles to the fibers, wherein the particles have a hydrogen bonding or a coordinate covalent bonding functionality, and the particles retain their particulate form when bound to the fibers by the binder; applying a binder to the fibers that binds the particles to the fibers, the weight ratio of particle to binder being between 2:1 and 4:1, the binder being selected from the group consisting of(a) a polymeric binder with repeating units, wherein each repeating unit has a functional group capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, or a hydrogen bond with the fibers; and (b) a non-polymeric organic binder with a functional group capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, and a functional group capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers; providing a crosslinking material on the fibers, the crosslinking material being curable to produce internally crosslinked high bulk fibers; and curing the crosslinking material and fibers at an elevated temperature to produce cured high bulk fibers that are internally crosslinked while leaving hydrogen bonding functional sites available on the cured fibers for hydrogen bonding, wherein 5-80% by weight of the fibers, binder and particles is particles bound to the binder by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, the binder is in turn bound to the fibers by a hydrogen bond, further wherein the curing step comprises(a) curing the crosslinking material before applying the binder; or (b) curing the crosslinking material in the presence of the binder wherein neither the binder or crosslinking material is selected from the group consisting of a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol and a polyamine; or (c) curing the crosslinking material in the presence of the binder, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a polycarboxylic acid, a polyol and a polyamine, and the fibers contain at least 20% water by weight when the curing step begins.
 40. The method of claim 39 wherein the binder is a polymeric binder selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyacrylic acid, polyamides, polyamines, and copolymers thereof.
 41. The method of claim 39 wherein the binder is as non-polymeric organic binder selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an alcohol, an amino acid, an amide, an amine, and combinations thereof, wherein there are at least two functionalities on the molecule are selected from this group, and the two functionalities are the same or different functionalities.
 42. A high bulk fiber, comprising:individualized fibers that have hydrogen bonding functional sites and intrafiber covalent bonds that provide the fiber with increased bulk; a binder on the fibers for binding the particles to the fibers, the binder having a volatility less than water and a functional group that forms a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, and a functional group that forms a hydrogen bond with the fibers, the binder being present on the high bulk fiber in a sufficient amount to bind particles in an amount of at least 1% by weight of the fiber, binder and particles.
 43. The high bulk fiber of claim 42 wherein the binder is inactive, and capable of being activated by addition of liquid, heat or mechanical energy to the fibers.
 44. The high bulk fiber of claim 42 wherein the binder is present on the high bulk fiber in a sufficient amount to bind particles in an amount of at least 5% by weight of the fiber, binder and particles.
 45. The method of claim 29 wherein the activating step occurs at least one week after the step of applying the binder to the fibers, but before use of the absorbent product.
 46. A method of producing individualized high bulk fibers with adhered particles to the fibers, the method comprising:providing individualized high bulk cellulose fibers that have been cured in the presence of a crosslinking material to form intrafiber covalent bonds and fiberized to reduce interfiber bonding between the fibers; adding particles to the fibers that binds the particles to the fibers by chemically fusing the particles to the fibers while the particle retains its individual particulate form on the surface of the fiber, the binder being selected from the group consisting of (a) a polymeric binder selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyacrylic acid, poly (caprolactone) diol, polyamides, polyamines, and copolymers thereof; and (b) a non-polymeric organic binder that includes a functionality selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an alcohol, an amino acid, and amide, and an amine, wherein there are at least two functionalities on the molecule selected from this group, and the two functionalities are the same or different, wherein the particles are chemically bonded to the binder by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds, and the binder that binds the particle is in turn chemically bonded to the fibers by a hydrogen bond.
 47. The method of claim 46 wherein the binder is a non-polymeric organic binder selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyamide, glycerin, ascorbic acid, urea, glycine, pentaerythritol, a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, citric acid, tartaric acid, dipropylene glycol, and urea derivatives.
 48. The method of claim 46 wherein the particles are selected from the group consisting of superabsorbent particles, zeolites, and antimicrobials.
 49. The method of claim 46 further comprising the step of activating the binder from an inactive state by mechanical agitation, heat, or application of an activating liquid to bind the particles to the fibers.
 50. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder does not encapsulate the particles and fibers. 